Pied à Terre

Following on from our recent culinary sojourn to L’Autre Pied in Marylebone, we thought it would be timely to publish a review of their mothership venue, Pied à Terre. I have been meaning to write this review for some time now – I last dined here three months ago – but I have been experiencing a kind of food writer’s block; I don’t know what to say about it. That’s not because this restaurant lacks interest, or indeed that there aren’t plenty of merits to soliloquise. I think the problem is that it’s just too good; too polished, too subtle. So other than writing ‘this restaurant is fantastic in every way’, which I believe it is, I find myself at a loose end. Time to adorn the thinking cap and employ some productive chin-stroking…

One of the most surprising things about Pied à Terre is that Chef-Patron Shane Osborn has a severe fish allergy. I say this is surprising because one of the best fish dishes that I’ve ever eaten came out of this kitchen; a pan-fried turbot with a lasagne of crab, toasted pine nuts, grapefruit emulsion and purple sprouting broccoli. The dish looked and tasted as good as it sounds, so it’s all the more remarkable that Osborn created it but has never eaten it himself. The allergy occurred late in life, in the mid-1990s in fact. It was a huge blow for someone like Osborn who’d grown up eating and cooking fish in his native Perth, Australia. He knows what he’s missing.

Having held on to two Michelin stars since 2003, Osborn shirks the limelight and prefers to remain in his kitchen, filleting game and mentoring his chefs. He’s a big chap, a stereotypical Aussie with chiselled features, 5 o’clock shadow and a habit of calling everyone ‘mate’. This laid back, jovial style means that his kitchen is a place of peace and studious activity, not a curse-filled and testosterone-fuelled army barracks like some kitchens I won’t mention. The bonus of dodging the celebrity status is that he actually works in the restaurant. He is a real chef, not a name above the door. He was in the kitchen on the Friday evening I dined there and his presence was evident in the food (no, I didn’t find any hairs). Not a plate came out of that kitchen without being scrutinized and stamped with the Osborn seal of approval, which I must say is meticulous.

To kick off proceedings, an amuse bouche of four different palate teasers arrived, along with a selection of delicious breads, of which the star anise and Guinness was a particularly interesting combination. A starter of smoked breasts of quail with confit legs, bacon and maple syrup purée, pomegranate, foie gras and parsley cress sounds like a complicated dish, but it wasn’t. The flavours worked very well together, and the presentation was dazzling. That was followed by the aforementioned fish dish, another stunning plate of food in every respect, although a cumin-crusted lamb was less inspired, tasting primarily of cumin and not much else. After the pre-dessert of a lemon and coconut parfait, I was treated to a dessert of truly mesmerising qualities. Alfonso mango and gingerbread terrine, lychee sorbet, nutmeg mousse and honey jelly. What a concoction, and just as delicate, well balanced and beautifully presented as the preceding courses.

Service was diligent, if a tiny bit stuffy, perhaps a reflection of the perfectionist attitude of David Moore, the restaurant’s co-owner, who readers may have seen on the BBC’s The Restaurant as one of Raymond Blanc’s inspectors. At one point during the meal the waiting staff got the plates in a muddle and served the wrong dish to the wrong person. When we pointed this out they were absolutely horrified, as if they had mistakenly served us a plate of rotting eggs covered in toilet bleach (something you may find at The Fat Duck, but not here). They walked away sombre and sheepish, as if expecting to find David waiting for them in a dark room with a whip and a gimp costume.

Osborne was there to say goodbye and shake our hands as we departed the restaurant which I thought was a nice touch. Despite the uptight service, the general atmosphere was subdued and relaxing, beautiful crockery from JL Coquet was used as the canvas for these dishes (yes, I did the plate check – see JL Coquet article for details), and in all it was a most enjoyable evening.

If you are looking for an haute cuisine restaurant in which to sample some of the best food that the London restaurant scene has to offer, you should certainly place Pied à Terre in your top five.

Pied à Terre, 34 Charlotte Street, London W1T 2NH. Tel. 020 7636 1178.