We both began with a terrine of pig's head and foie gras, served with pickled root vegetables, golden raisins, cider glaze and juniper salt. The dish was beautifully presented, as expected in a restaurant that has earned 2 Michelin Stars. But the food did not quite match the presentation. The pig's head and foie gras were merged together into a single strip of terrine which detracted from the undeniably fantastic flavour of the latter. And the supplemental ingredients seemed to represent little more than an ornamental decoration. If anything, they tended to overwhelm the taste of the terrine itself. Presentation aside, this was more the stuff of a decent country pub than one of the capital’s best restaurants.
Thankfully, the two mains redeemed things in a big way. I chose the poached fillet of plaice, baked sweet potato, truffle butter, purple sprouting broccoli and lemon buddha emulsion. The fish was cooked to perfection and the emulsion and truffle butter merely added to the already delicious flavours. This truly was a supreme dish and the perfect size for a working lunch.
The alternative was equally delicious; a tender roasted veal belly accompanied by a pomme purée which offset the meat perfectly. The veal itself was full of flavour and exceptionally cooked. There was really nothing to fault and the standard was certainly equal to the plaice if not even higher.
Yearning for a storming sweet finish, we were excited by the prospect of the lime pannacotta, blood orange jelly, lemon balm ice cream and lime foam. After the delightful blend of flavours in the two mains, this colourful combination was expected to be exactly the kind of unorthodox dessert that we were looking for. Ultimately though it was impossible to escape the feeling that this was a mishmash of ingredients that was more contrived than expertly thought out. Each aspect of the dish was interesting in its own right, but together they clashed more than complemented each other.
After coffee and the usual collection of exciting petits fours, we departed with a slight sense of reservation. Here was a restaurant where the quality of cooking and potential for top of the range dishes was undoubted. In that respect it can only be highly recommended. But the inconsistency of the meal told us there was still work to do to reach the level that had led a friend to describe the dinner menu as the most exquisite gastronomic experience that he had ever had. More specifically it made us wonder whether the attention to detail in the lunch menu was the same as in the more extensive (and lucrative!) tasting menu.
Ratings*
Ambience: 8
Décor: 8
Flavours: 7
Presentation: 9
Service: 8
Total: 40
*(Out of 10)
Price: Lunch - 2 courses for £23.50, 3 courses for £29.50
Website: http://www.pied-a-terre.co.uk/
