La Trouvaille Redux

[Simon Majumdar]

After the horrors of Milk & Honey ( see other thread ) Robin and I went to see if we could get a table at La Trouvaille.

The place was packed to the gunwhales but they did find a space for us.

I was a little concerned after Sam F and Scott had a poor meal there, but I am pleased to say that it was back to very good standards.

I did the usual, Foie Gras and Petit Salle.  Robin did the Foie followed by a bavette.  All the dishes were well prepared and in good potrions.  The Pork Belly was the best I have had in my last three visits.

We had a bottle of Letrouze ( Sp ) which is a small producer from the north of the cote de rhone.  Very tasty and a steal at £19.

We split a chocolate fondant between us. Very good

Meal for two c£90.

The menu is about to change this week.  They couldn't show us a copy as they said " they had not decided what the hell they were going to do.

7/10 - it remains a very dependable standby

[magnolia]

"...I was a little concerned after Sam F and Scott had a poor meal there, but I am pleased to say that it was back to very good standards...Meal for two c£90...They couldn't show us a copy as they said " they had not decided what the hell they were going to do...a very dependable standby"

Good to hear it's still up there. I remember thinking a few weeks ago that even though each dish wasn't expensive on an individual basis, I was pretty shocked by the final bill.

I think the charm and insouciance factor goes a long way - i.e. as we've discussed, it really seems like a bunch of guys who love food and are doing their best to provide diners with a fun, informal dining experience. They always seem to find a place for walk-ins, and they make no pretense about adhering to the standard restaurant/diner conventions (as borne out by your observation that 'we don't know what the hell we will offer when we change the menu', where another restaurant might have said 'we will not reveal our closely guarded menu secrets to you, you lowly client!

Keep going!

[jayrayner]

As I've said elsewhere my recent return trip to La Trouvaille was also spot on. The pork belly was just as good as I remembered it the last time. A special of scallops gratin was furiously rich and unctuous. Lavender lamb, pretty damn fine.  And the bill? I dinno. My publisher paid. (I'm sure it's something Simon does for his authors all the time.) That must be the definition of a good night out.

[Simon Majumdar]

I am a great believer that Authors should be locked up in their rooms until they have delivered the manuscript on time and not in crayon

Then and only then would I take them for a meal, but certainly not somewhere as enjoyable as La Trouvaille.  I would not want to ruin the meals of the other guests while my "artistic" friends went on and on and on..... about their "muse man"

You have a very special publisher who takes you to such places

S

[rmajumdar]

You have a very special publisher who takes you to such places

I think you'll find you have a very special brother who takes you to such places.

[Simon Majumdar]

Strange, I was thinking the same about you and Ransome's Dock

I just wasn't shallow enough to keep score.

S

[jayrayner]

Is it only me, or has this thread just turned in to a reworking of Cain and Abel?

And then he smote him with a shank of lamb in a redcurrant reduction because the sauce was a little too tart for his liking and the lamb hadn't been braised for long enough and the service was lousy and anyway Abel had chosen the restaurant. And the Lord said unto Cain, where is your brother? And Cain said, am I my brother's feeder? And the Lord said well, looking at the restaurant bills for the last month it does look that way. And do you really only tip 7.5% you tight... (continued page 94)

[Simon Majumdar]

jay

I have unearthed an interesting biblical manuscript which you may find fascinating as it features you.  Please see general thread

S

[rmajumdar]

Strange, I was thinking the same about you and Ransome's Dock

I just wasn't shallow enough to keep score.

I think somebody overlooked the

Never mind, you can reduce the deficit during the next episode of The Majumdar Brothers Go America  

[SamanthaF]

Simon & Robin - You've made my day! First of all there is the double act of Sam & Scott, now we have the Brothers M.

[Tonyfinch]

Re-visited last night for the first time. Mixed results.Belly pork is no longer on the menu "we had to change it sometime". Poilane bread was just a tad stale.

The atmosphere was warm and the service very Gallic but very sweet.It was only about half full on a Saturday night-maybe its busier during the week.

Poached tongue starter had had the flavour poached out of it and a lot of seasoning was required. My wife's starter of fish soup (a special) was stunning-dark,shimmering,steaming,intense-hard to imagine a better example.

My main of oxtail with a large crevette was curious. I've never got the combination of meat and seafood and this took me no further. The oxtail was fine-three large, meaty chunks on an intense sauce,but apart from pushing the price of the dish up to £17.50,the mini lobster served no purpose as far as I could see and was a bloody faff to acess for a lot of mess and very little gastro return. The accompanying bowl of mash was yummy though.

My wife's bavette was tough even by bavette standards and the tapenade topping was misconceived. Swede mash was good.

Dessert of feuilette of strawberries was all right but no more.

No aperitif but two bottles of wine,coffee,a single house cognac and service-the bill came to £108. Fair enough given the ambience and location. I would return but would probably order more carefully.

As for portions-no fannying about here. We were stuffed.