The Square Pops Up In Putney

Restaurateur Rebecca Mascarenhas has done a wonderful thing for the victims of the earthquake in Haiti.  For the month of March she is hosting pop-up restaurants in the Putney space that most recently housed her restaurant The Phoenix Bar and Grill and is donating the proceeds to Action Against Hunger for the Haiti campaign.  She has gathered top Chefs from Britain's finest restaurants - among them Rick Stein, Atul Kochhar, Rowley Leigh and, on the night we were there, Phillip Howard - and put them to work for a cause.  Many of the pop-up nights are already a sell-out, and we were lucky to snag a table for The Square, a Michelin 2 Star restaurant in Mayfair. 
An amuse of a mini cornet of foie gras mousse and squid-ink gougeres stuffed with goat cheese was a good place to start while we considered the short but sweet menu choices.  Bread from Ottolenghi was a treat too, and, having chosen appetizers and entrees, we started in on  bottle of St. Veran.  A colourful salad of beetroot and goat curd, delicately dressed with an Eiswein vinaigrette and set off by a scoop of silky Balsamic cream was a delight, elevating the vegetable from humble  to haute. An impossibly tiny brunoise of vegetables garnished the beets - there must be elves in the kitchen with little knives creating such a minituarised sprinkle. 
Next we chose both appetizers so we could share - a Ravioli of Scallops and Langoustine Claws with a Champagne foam and Ballotines of Guinea Fowl with Foie Gras and a Rhubarb and Grape Chutney.  No wonder we couldn't choose between them - both were delicious.  The former was wrapped in such a subtle sauce that it allowed the seafood to sing, while the chutney cut the richness of the foie gras torchon perfectly.  The only way to stay even-handed on the sharing was knowing that the less you gave, the less you received - a policy of mutually assured destruction!
Despite years of living in Texas, a hunter's paradise, neither of us have a liking for Venison, so we both went for Loin of Monkfish with Winter Vegetables, Chanterelles and Truffle.  For sure a few Morels snuck into the mushroom and vegetable medley and the whole dish was a skillful pairing - few fish other than 'Poor Man's Lobster' could stand up to such earthy flavours and a meaty jus. 
A rich cheesecake of Brillat Savarin with Passion Fruit and Lime and a dainty dish of sorbets (I know Plum was one of them, but fail to remember the others except they were all delectable) rounded up the meal. 
Each dish had been beautifully presented and the service was impeccable if a touch hurried.  A take-away package containing some fresh nougat was a sweet touch.
There's nothing square about The Square - Chef Howard's food is modern and exciting, underpinned by classic techniques and there's an evident deftness in the layering of flavours.  We come away knowing we've had a bargain, and feeling good about helping some less fortunate souls at the same time.
http://www.squarerestaurant.org/
http://www.putneypopup.co.uk/