L'Autre Pied
It's Sunday night and we're on the last leg of our LRF marathon. How appropriate that it's at l'Autre Pied (the other foot, literally), sister restaurant to 2 Michelin starred Pied a Terre. Marylebone is one of central London's most central neighbourhoods, with a high street full of high end stores. We even spot 'Ortigia' a retailer of our new favourite Sicilian soaps and make a mental note to come back here for some Christmas shopping.
As we're a little early having scheduled this dinner to dovetail with one of our other passions - the London Film Festival - we hit the local bar for an aperitif. Two martinis later we stroll to the restaurant with a nice little glow going to counter the cold evening air.
We're still almost the first diners despite the detour but we can live with that. The restaurant is warm and inviting and we are promptly seated and start reviewing the Festival menu which is a bargain £20.75 for 4 courses. We also decide, after conferrng with the Sommelier, to take the suggested wine addition which is £18 for three wines - we are promised that our preferences will be taken under advisement which is another reason for taking that option.
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| Jerusalem artichoke veloute |
There are just two choices per course and we chose one of each to start: poached and roasted breast of quail in a consomme of aromatic vegetables and a veloute of jerusalem artichoke with chanterelles. Followed by slow cooked ox cheek with parsnips, potato puree and puy lentils for both of us - it's just the night for something that sounds so comforting. The veloute is served with haricot beans and a delicate square of pasta hides under the mushrooms - the whole dish is full of contrasting textures and flavours and is delicious. The quail is swimming in the most wonderful broth with the addition of pearl barley - brimful of the taste of autumn. The wines chosen are a Roussane/Chardonnay blend from the Pays d'Oc for the veloute which turns out to be the right foil for those creamy, earthy notes, and a Verdicchio for the quail - an interesting choice this, given the meaty flavours but in the end it pairs well.
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| Braised ox cheeks |
The ox cheeks are fork tender and almost melt in the mouth, while the potato puree is what mashed potato longs to be - rich and ultra smooth, it's the James Bond of the humble spud. Roasted parsnips are perfectly cooked - tender and with a crisp outer. We drink a 2009 Barbera d'Alba which has good balance and works well with this comfort food dish.
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| Vanilla pannacotta |
A pre-dessert of vanilla pannacotta with blackberry puree and pear arrives and carries through the autumn theme perfectly.
For dessert we both opt for caramel parfait with chocolate streusel and black treacle ice cream - this last ingredient intriguing us both. It tastes like caramel on steroids, deep and intense but not over sweet, and marries the flavours of the parfait beautifully. I opt for a second glass of the Barbera instead of a dessert wine, preferring to save my sweet tooth for the pudding alone, but a Rivesaltes pairing prompts plenty of discussion as to what the grape varietal is - it turns out to be Grenache - as the wine is dark for its relative youth. It is an unusual wine from the Roussillon area of southern France which is made using the solera system - young wines are blended with older ones in a series of barrels - leading to non-vintage wines of great cnsistency.
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| Caramel parfait |
We call for the bill; the restaurant has filled up and we are ready to head home. Our last stop on the LRF tour has been a fine restaurant without pretensions, leaving that to its sibling, so it's no grand finale, just a gentle good night.
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