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A Chiswick Gem (April 2005)
by Daniel Darwood, Co- Editor.
An “effusion” of eateries! A “riot” of restaurants! In fact,
what is the collective noun for a group of dining
establishments? Whatever term it is, Chiswick qualifies
in abundance. The high street is profuse with every
possible type of cuisine, along with coffee houses, wine
bars and pubs; fittingly so, given the wealthy professional
classes that populate this western suburb: why go to the
West End when so much is on offer a stone's throw
away?
The real gem, almost hidden from view if walking along
Chiswick High Street, is La Trompette, a modern, stylish,
French restaurant which was Which? Good Food Guide
London Newcomer of the Year in 2002. Tucked in
between and opposite various ethnic restaurants in a
busy side street, with awning and outside tables for al
fresco dining, the restaurant exudes a confident,
sophisticated, and refined air of luxury. Fortunately,
complacency is not in evidence. The restaurant, shortly
to have a new head chef given the imminent departure of
Ollie Couillaud to the Dorchester, continues to produce
classic and modern French dishes of high quality, with a
few new creations to reflect the seasons and ring the
changes.
With slightly cramped space, and no bar area, the diner
is immediately confronted – when the restaurant is full –
with a cheerful buzz. The décor is tastefully understated,
with padded leather banquets, spotlights, floor to ceiling
windows and a touch of tubular steel; all in perfect
harmony with each other and a fitting backdrop for the
culinary delights being served.
With 8 choices in each of the three courses - a real
bargain at £32.50 (£42.50 including cheese) - an
embarrassment of choice awaits the discerning diner.
One can be certain shellfish, game, offal, poultry and red
meat featuring on the savoury courses. Starters are in
many ways the most creative and imaginative area of the
menu. Consider for instance, a tarte fine of venison,
comprising feather light puff pastry with a celeriac tatin
and horseradish cream. Although a rich dish,
embellished as it was with a port reduction, the effect
was not heavy or cloying. Nor was it over sweet which
can easily be the case with many inferior versions. The
taste of the medium rare paper thin venison fillet was
enhanced but not overwhelmed by the garnishes, the
horseradish cream proving also an excellent balance
with its slight acidity and nuttiness.
Sharing a cote de boeuf would seem a gourmand’s
indulgence of massive proportions. What prevented this
from happening was partly due to the perfect timing of the
cooking (medium rare), and the expert carving after an
appropriate resting period. The taste of good meat is
always enhanced when carved fairly thinly. The beef was
also well hung, exuding much flavour from the marbled
fat. In addition, the red wine sauce and the
accompanying classic béarnaise, produced a deeply
satisfying contrast of tastes and consistencies. The
pommes frites, probably cooked in ground nut oil,
provided a cleanness of flavour without the over richness
often found in duck fat chips.
The cheeseboard provided highlights for those lovers of
strong tastes, although the full variety of tastes and
textures were on offer, from cow- goat- and sheep’s milk.
The deserts ranged from highly complex, rich and multi
component based choices, such as the plate of Valrhona
chocolate puddings, to the more simple but elegant
alternatives such as custard tart with nutmeg ice cream.
The star choice was an exotic fruit trifle. Lacking the
heaviness of the traditional English version, it excited the
eyes and the taste buds. Amaretto biscuits, Malibu
liquer, fresh mango, pineapple, guava fruit salad was
clouded by an ethereal passion fruit mousse of great
intensity but perfect lightness. The accompanying deep
fried coconut milk beignets, mimicking fresh coconuts,
provided a perfect contrast of taste, texture and
temperature. The thinking behind this dish combined old
and new worlds, with an appropriate fusion of
ingredients and techniques.
Cooking of this quality, and service of such
professionalism, has not as yet qualified for a Michelin
Star. The three knives and forks rating, which represent
comfort and welcome significantly under values the
performance of La Trompette.. Short of blowing its own
trumpet, its many regular diners and admirers should
blast its virtues to the heights.
by Daniel Darwood, Co- Editor.
An “effusion” of eateries! A “riot” of restaurants! In fact,
what is the collective noun for a group of dining
establishments? Whatever term it is, Chiswick qualifies
in abundance. The high street is profuse with every
possible type of cuisine, along with coffee houses, wine
bars and pubs; fittingly so, given the wealthy professional
classes that populate this western suburb: why go to the
West End when so much is on offer a stone's throw
away?
The real gem, almost hidden from view if walking along
Chiswick High Street, is La Trompette, a modern, stylish,
French restaurant which was Which? Good Food Guide
London Newcomer of the Year in 2002. Tucked in
between and opposite various ethnic restaurants in a
busy side street, with awning and outside tables for al
fresco dining, the restaurant exudes a confident,
sophisticated, and refined air of luxury. Fortunately,
complacency is not in evidence. The restaurant, shortly
to have a new head chef given the imminent departure of
Ollie Couillaud to the Dorchester, continues to produce
classic and modern French dishes of high quality, with a
few new creations to reflect the seasons and ring the
changes.
With slightly cramped space, and no bar area, the diner
is immediately confronted – when the restaurant is full –
with a cheerful buzz. The décor is tastefully understated,
with padded leather banquets, spotlights, floor to ceiling
windows and a touch of tubular steel; all in perfect
harmony with each other and a fitting backdrop for the
culinary delights being served.
With 8 choices in each of the three courses - a real
bargain at £32.50 (£42.50 including cheese) - an
embarrassment of choice awaits the discerning diner.
One can be certain shellfish, game, offal, poultry and red
meat featuring on the savoury courses. Starters are in
many ways the most creative and imaginative area of the
menu. Consider for instance, a tarte fine of venison,
comprising feather light puff pastry with a celeriac tatin
and horseradish cream. Although a rich dish,
embellished as it was with a port reduction, the effect
was not heavy or cloying. Nor was it over sweet which
can easily be the case with many inferior versions. The
taste of the medium rare paper thin venison fillet was
enhanced but not overwhelmed by the garnishes, the
horseradish cream proving also an excellent balance
with its slight acidity and nuttiness.
Sharing a cote de boeuf would seem a gourmand’s
indulgence of massive proportions. What prevented this
from happening was partly due to the perfect timing of the
cooking (medium rare), and the expert carving after an
appropriate resting period. The taste of good meat is
always enhanced when carved fairly thinly. The beef was
also well hung, exuding much flavour from the marbled
fat. In addition, the red wine sauce and the
accompanying classic béarnaise, produced a deeply
satisfying contrast of tastes and consistencies. The
pommes frites, probably cooked in ground nut oil,
provided a cleanness of flavour without the over richness
often found in duck fat chips.
The cheeseboard provided highlights for those lovers of
strong tastes, although the full variety of tastes and
textures were on offer, from cow- goat- and sheep’s milk.
The deserts ranged from highly complex, rich and multi
component based choices, such as the plate of Valrhona
chocolate puddings, to the more simple but elegant
alternatives such as custard tart with nutmeg ice cream.
The star choice was an exotic fruit trifle. Lacking the
heaviness of the traditional English version, it excited the
eyes and the taste buds. Amaretto biscuits, Malibu
liquer, fresh mango, pineapple, guava fruit salad was
clouded by an ethereal passion fruit mousse of great
intensity but perfect lightness. The accompanying deep
fried coconut milk beignets, mimicking fresh coconuts,
provided a perfect contrast of taste, texture and
temperature. The thinking behind this dish combined old
and new worlds, with an appropriate fusion of
ingredients and techniques.
Cooking of this quality, and service of such
professionalism, has not as yet qualified for a Michelin
Star. The three knives and forks rating, which represent
comfort and welcome significantly under values the
performance of La Trompette.. Short of blowing its own
trumpet, its many regular diners and admirers should
blast its virtues to the heights.
A Master Restaurateur (April 2005)
by Simon Carter, Co-Editor
Nigel Platts-Martin enjoyed a distinguished career in law
(Freshfields) and corporate finance (Warburgs) before
moving into the restaurant business a dozen years ago.
The Michelin Two Star Square restaurant, co-owned with
chef Phillip Howard, is perhaps the jewel in the crown.
Meanwhile, with business partner and chef Bruce Poole,
he owns Chez Bruce, The Glasshouse and La
Trompette; all immensely popular goldmines, delivering
Michelin One Star standard cooking to two full sittings
every evening service.
It is perhaps sad that La Trompette is the only one of the
family to not formally receive the nod from Michelin for its
achievements. Nevertheless all four restaurants would
comfortably appear in the 2005 London Top 60
Restaurants within the 1% Club were the Glasshouse in
Kew considered ‘London’by the Guides.
So it is easy to see why Mr Platts-Martin is laden with
industry awards acclaiming his ‘restaurateurism’.
Hirings are clearly astute and promotion is encouraged
from within. Ollie Couillaud is in the process of moving to
The Dorchester. Since March 2001 and the opening of
La Trompette, Ollie has been a fixture as Head Chef,
gaining Which? Good Food Guide London Newcomer of
The Year recognition for the restaurant in their first year.
Ollie had previously spent time under the tutorage of
Bruce Poole at Chez Bruce, an experience shared by his
soon to be successor -James Bennington.
This sense of family extends to the front-of-house where
Romain Vrinat is restaurant manager; Romain spent five
years as a maitre d’ at The Square. The Head
Sommelier - Matthieu Longuere - joined the team from
Hotel du Vin (Bristol) in 2002 and has rapidly become
bedecked with awards including AA Guide, Tio Pepe
Carlton and TW Wines recognition.
Since the early days, the food has moved on from rustic
and earthy to significantly more refined. Prices remain
very generous at £32.50 for three courses for dinner (I
can’t remember a price increase), while at the same time
the restaurant appears to be doing the opposite of cutting
corners on portion control.
On this occasion (I must have visited a dozen times over
four years) I started with six warm oysters topped with
sauce mousseline and caviar. Sauce mousseline is
effectively Hollandaise lightened by whipped egg whites
or cream. There was no ‘crunch for contrast’ or any
spinach – just simple but effective, just what I wanted.
The main course was equally straight forward – cote de
boeuf with sauce béarnaise and chips. The cote de
boeuf comes from the rib of the animal as opposed to
Chateaubriand which is a fillet (the latter named after the
19th century French author and statesman Francois
Chateaubriand); I mention this as both may be served in
similar fashion. A generous custard tart for pudding was
enjoyed after a cheesboard of impressive variety albeit
mixed ripeness.
Service was charming, professional and efficient
throughout and added to the undoubted buzz of happy
smart casual dining in the suburbs.
It will be fascinating to experience the impact of James
Bennington; there is little to choose in style or execution
between Chez Bruce and La Trompette – will we see an
individual signature? The key perhaps to even more
success for the Nigel Platts-Martin empire.
by Simon Carter, Co-Editor
Nigel Platts-Martin enjoyed a distinguished career in law
(Freshfields) and corporate finance (Warburgs) before
moving into the restaurant business a dozen years ago.
The Michelin Two Star Square restaurant, co-owned with
chef Phillip Howard, is perhaps the jewel in the crown.
Meanwhile, with business partner and chef Bruce Poole,
he owns Chez Bruce, The Glasshouse and La
Trompette; all immensely popular goldmines, delivering
Michelin One Star standard cooking to two full sittings
every evening service.
It is perhaps sad that La Trompette is the only one of the
family to not formally receive the nod from Michelin for its
achievements. Nevertheless all four restaurants would
comfortably appear in the 2005 London Top 60
Restaurants within the 1% Club were the Glasshouse in
Kew considered ‘London’by the Guides.
So it is easy to see why Mr Platts-Martin is laden with
industry awards acclaiming his ‘restaurateurism’.
Hirings are clearly astute and promotion is encouraged
from within. Ollie Couillaud is in the process of moving to
The Dorchester. Since March 2001 and the opening of
La Trompette, Ollie has been a fixture as Head Chef,
gaining Which? Good Food Guide London Newcomer of
The Year recognition for the restaurant in their first year.
Ollie had previously spent time under the tutorage of
Bruce Poole at Chez Bruce, an experience shared by his
soon to be successor -James Bennington.
This sense of family extends to the front-of-house where
Romain Vrinat is restaurant manager; Romain spent five
years as a maitre d’ at The Square. The Head
Sommelier - Matthieu Longuere - joined the team from
Hotel du Vin (Bristol) in 2002 and has rapidly become
bedecked with awards including AA Guide, Tio Pepe
Carlton and TW Wines recognition.
Since the early days, the food has moved on from rustic
and earthy to significantly more refined. Prices remain
very generous at £32.50 for three courses for dinner (I
can’t remember a price increase), while at the same time
the restaurant appears to be doing the opposite of cutting
corners on portion control.
On this occasion (I must have visited a dozen times over
four years) I started with six warm oysters topped with
sauce mousseline and caviar. Sauce mousseline is
effectively Hollandaise lightened by whipped egg whites
or cream. There was no ‘crunch for contrast’ or any
spinach – just simple but effective, just what I wanted.
The main course was equally straight forward – cote de
boeuf with sauce béarnaise and chips. The cote de
boeuf comes from the rib of the animal as opposed to
Chateaubriand which is a fillet (the latter named after the
19th century French author and statesman Francois
Chateaubriand); I mention this as both may be served in
similar fashion. A generous custard tart for pudding was
enjoyed after a cheesboard of impressive variety albeit
mixed ripeness.
Service was charming, professional and efficient
throughout and added to the undoubted buzz of happy
smart casual dining in the suburbs.
It will be fascinating to experience the impact of James
Bennington; there is little to choose in style or execution
between Chez Bruce and La Trompette – will we see an
individual signature? The key perhaps to even more
success for the Nigel Platts-Martin empire.
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