48 Greek Street
Soho
London W1D 4EF
Tel:(0) 20 7439 7474
Web: http://www.lescargotrestaurant.co.uk/Lescargot/HOME.html
Over the weekend, a very hectic and tiring daytrip to London to meet up with a visiting friend from overseas led to a surprising and very welcome trip to Marco Pierre White's once Michelin-starred L'Escargot restaurant in Soho. A friend has been raving about the combination of fabulous food, atmosphere and the reasonable prices for a while so we took a chance on tables being available and managed to get in for the pre-theatre menu on Saturday evening.
Fortunately, we were not disappointed and my expectations were more than met. The restaurant is unassuming from the outside, located in a street just off the bustling Old Compton Road.
Inside, however, the place is tastefully decorated and intimate; the only moment of over-the-top opulence was a gold dinosaur with glittering teeth located in one corner of the dining room. I'm sure it's worth a fortune but it did elicit some bewilderment on our entry.
Of the four in our party, three of us opted for the pre-theatre option at an amazing £15 for two courses or £18 for three. Our vegetarian companion went for the veloute of carrot soup, ginger and creme fraich which was reportedly smooth and sweet but with a nice punch of ginger. We chose the duck rilette served with cornichons and pickled onions with melba toast. As a bit of a duck fan (in all its forms) this was, for me, the standout course of the meal. The duck rillette was full of texture and flavour, and the pickled accompaniments added a sharpness and a tang that complemented the richness of the duck perfectly. I could easily have eaten another of these and been more than happy.
The person in our party who chose from the a la carte menu selected the Carpaccio of Scottish Beef Fillet with Parmesan, with Aged Balsamic Dressing (£9.75) and we were all surprised by the size of the plate which was full of beef and a generous portion of Parmesan.
The mains were equally outstanding; the slow roasted pork belly with fricassee of peas, beans and carrot that I chose boasted the best crackling I have ever tasted; crisp and salty with real bite, whilst the pork belly was soft and melted in the mouth. The sauce was also rich and strong but didn't overpower the taste of the meat itself; a genuinely delicious and well presented dish.
The other dish of roasted vegetable and mozzarella tart with balsamic reduction from the set menu was apparently also very good whilst the a la carte diner decided to push the boat out and opt for half a lobster. This dish was smaller than the others but looked amazing. However, the accompanying chips were the only disappointment of the meal, lacking crunch and texture.
Finally, desserts were ordered and I decided to sample the selection of cheeses with raising bread and chutney. At first the sweetness of the bread tasted odd against the cheeses but as I continued with the dish, the tastes and textures worked well, especially when paired with the chutney.
The other desserts of summer berries and elderflower jelly with sauce cardinal and a creme brulee (£7.50) looked pretty and were reported to be very good. Sometimes I curse my lack of a sweet tooth.
Overall, the bill for 2 three-course dinners, 1 two-course dinner, a starter, main and dessert with three glasses of wine, a kir royale and a glass of champagne came to £137 including service. We were not charged for coffee and the service throughout was faultless. In an experience earlier this year at Michel Roux at Parliament Square I found the staff to be efficient but cold, whereas the staff at L'Escargot were more friendly and the atmosphere was slightly more relaxed.
The website promises fine dining and affordable glamour and it certainly delivers both. If slightly limp chips and a strange gilded dinosaur are the only issues I can find with the place, then that's fine with me.
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