La Trouvaille

After having read some excellent reviews I decided to try this restaurant out for the first time with a new 'date'. Possibly a schoolboy error thought I, as we squeezed our way into the packed cocktail bar downstairs and couldn't get close to the bar never mind actually order a drink. The manager was very pleasant once we had actually caught his attention and I relaxed a little.

We were taken upstairs to the restaurant and the atmosphere changed. Superb decor and extremely helpful and courteous staff made the evening very special. The woodpidgeon starter was lovely and the veal was gorgeous. A big thank you to all of the other reviewers that recommended the chocolate fondant. DELICIOUS. A great place and not too badly priced. Highly recommended. The only thing that could possibly spoil the night from here on in was my bad jokes...oh, well!!
Comment on this reader review

Gary
Overall rating
Food 9 | Service 8 | Atmosphere 8 | Value for money 8
Thursday, December 21, 2006

I booked here for a "special" meal out with my husband a couple of weeks ago (part of a somewhat decadent weekend, so we wanted it to be good). I'd never been before, but couldn't get into any of our usual haunts at short notice. I'd read good reviews elsewhere (notably Time Out) but was a bit concerned by some of the comments on this side. I needn't have worried...

My husband's starter of honey roast pigeon was small but extremely tasty. I skipped starter because I had eaten too much at lunch time - but it was worth it, because my main was one of the best things I've ever tasted. Medallions of monkfish on black pudding, with mash and an exotic fruit the name of which I have now completely forgotten, but tasted like passion fruit and bitter chocolate all rolled into one. Plus a fantastic sauce. The ingredients worked perfectly together, and everything was beautifully cooked. I wasn't paying much attention to my husband's food (my mind was too taken up with swooning over my own), but he had the veal stuffed with morels, with watercress sauce, and pronounced it delicious.

Then there was pudding. I think my husband had apple clafoutis, but again, I was ignoring him and focusing my full attention on the chocolate fondant. Which was gorgeous. It's not often I'd suggest dessert over starter if you don't have room for 3 courses, but here, I'd go for the fondant every time.

The wine we chose was fantastic and very more-ish, and actually pretty good value at around £20. Dessert wines were perfectly matched to the food (they give you advice on which one to choose on the dessert menu).

The decor is perfectly suited to the Christmas season (Viennese mirrors present and correct,as mentioned below, everything pale, white or transparent), especially with the fairy lights twinking outside and the slightly-twee-but-pretty-discreet Viennese biscuit Christmas decorations (no, really) on the windows. I didn't mind the Philippe Stark chairs, but I expect they could be uncomfortable for anyone with a back problem. I didn't find the staff remotely arrogant - our waiter was lovely and very helpful. He was happy to give recommendations where requested, but wasn't excessively attentive.

Overall, certainly not cheap (£27 for two courses, £33 for three) but the food, wine and atmosphere were definitely worth it. I had a fantastic evening. We will be going back. A lot.
Comment on this reader review

Anna - View all reviews by this user
Overall rating
Food 10 | Service 10 | Atmosphere 10 | Value for money 9
Wednesday, December 06, 2006

We had a wonderfully relaxing lunch in the sun outside this lovely little French restaurant. Honestly priced, good food and the service was impeccable.

Recommended
Comment on this reader review

J
Overall rating
Food 7 | Service 10 | Atmosphere 8 | Value for money 8
Wednesday, June 21, 2006

The chocolate fondant is the best i`ve ever tasted.great staff, great value. A must !
Comment on this reader review

selena Button
Overall rating
Food 10 | Service 8 | Atmosphere 9 | Value for money 10
Wednesday, April 26, 2006

Fabulous !! went to La Trouvaille last night and has a simply wondeful time,the restaurant was pretty busy, but the manager found a table in the lively wine bar and after a couple of champagne cocktails we went upstars to the restaurant, wow !!! phillipe starck perspex chairs and venetian mirrors everywhere, it is stunning ! the food was sublime, the ballotine of seafood was delicious, as was the melt in the mouth halibut,great value at £33. staff were fun and attentive and the general atmosphere was buzzing.We had a great night, and will definately be going back soon to try one of their reknowed cheese and wine tasting evenings. wonderful
Comment on this reader review

Bruce Lachy
Overall rating
Food 9 | Service 9 | Atmosphere 10 | Value for money 10
Wednesday, April 26, 2006

oooh la la ! simply fantastic. wonderful night had by all. highly recommended.
Comment on this reader review

helen bern jones
Overall rating
Food 9 | Service 7 | Atmosphere 10 | Value for money 9
Wednesday, April 05, 2006

the perfect end to a perfect evening !!! after a wonderful performence of Sinatra at the nearby Palladium, my husband had been recommended La trouvaille, certainly living up to it`s name meanng the find ! we enjoyed a champagne cocktail in the french style bar,complete with rustic wine barrels,then up to the dinning room on the first floor, my starter of snails were heavenly ,as was the melt in the mouth mutton,my husband,had the seafood ballotine and the hare, both were exeptional.Also great value for the £33 three course set menu.The atmosphere was lively and fun and the staff attentive and helpful."it`s now "our" restaurant and i can`t recommend it highly enough.
Comment on this reader review

Laura Headington
Overall rating
Food 9 | Service 9 | Atmosphere 9 | Value for money 9
Wednesday, April 05, 2006

After a three year absence we returned to La Trouvaille for a birthday dinner. How easy it is to never visit a restaurant twice in this city, and not due bad experiences but because of the sheer choice that exists in the capital.

La Trouvaille has undergone something of a transformation since our last visit, with the dining room upstairs all Starck prespex chairs and mirrored furniture that already looks dated and self consciously try-hard. And so it’s au revoir to the provincial charm and character of old and bonsoir to a restaurant that thinks it needs to look like Sketch. While we’re at it, maybe we should try and emulate Sketch’s prices too.

At £27 for two courses or £33 for three our expectations were high. A new spring menu had been in place for about a week and it was interesting to notice the use of cheaper cuts of meat across the board. Beef skirt, mutton, duck leg, and hare all seemed to be doing their job to maximise the profitability of the kitchen, and even the vegetarian option was priced the same as the meat dishes.

Our starters of snails in filo parcels and quail ravioli differed wildly in quality. The snails were fantastic, in perfectly crisp pastry and a well balanced accompanying sauce – a nice change from the garlic and herb butter of your typical French brasserie. The quail on the other hand was a mess. Technically, wrapping a quail breast in a piece of pasta could probably be classed as ravioli, but why bother? Surely the filling of a raviolo is one area where a chef can demonstrate his creativity, along with the sauce. That’s if there is any sauce and in this case there wasn’t.

Onto mains and the rack of mutton with polenta was a disastrous combination. The mutton, though perfectly cooked and succulent, was barely sufficient for a child. The polenta was a stodgy, dry cake of grain which was cloying in the mouth and needed more than a dribble of sauce to lift. Furthermore there was not a single vegetable in site. At probably £18-£20 for the dish, this was the most terrible value main course I have experience in ten years of living and eating in the city.

On the plus side, the confit de canard and wine were decent, and the service attentive.

We won’t be going back to La Trouvaille in a hurry, and this time it will be due to the bad experience. With so many decent French restaurants in the same price range, you’ll find better value elsewhere.
Comment on this reader review

Pete
Overall rating
Food 3 | Service 4 | Atmosphere 3 | Value for money 1
Monday, March 27, 2006

Avoid this place! The staff were snooty and the food was overpriced. The website provides details of a pre-theatre menu from 6-6.45pm. When we arrived at 6.30 we were told that we would need to leave our table by 7.30 despite the fact that there were many empty tables. We were told to order from the main menu and would be charged a special price. The main menu was very poor for vegetarians. My partner ordered starter. We both ordered main courses. By 7.15 we were still waiting for our mains. A waiter told us we could keep our table until 8pm. The portion sizes were tiny. We both ordered deserts. Despite the fact that my partner had 3 courses we were both charged the price for 3 courses.
Comment on this reader review

Jo Beill
Overall rating
Food 5 | Service 2 | Atmosphere 3 | Value for money 2
Wednesday, March 22, 2006

What a faboulous find! Which is exactly what the name means. I had booked a romantic surprise dinner for myself and my wife on tuesday evening. we had one of the most memorable meals in years! The service was impeccable and the food even better.The terrine of rabbit was delicious as was the halibut and the slow roasted hare dish. The only problem of the evening was finding enough room for the (in)famous chocolate mousse! well done for bringing quality French food to the West End- definately worth a visit!
Comment on this reader review

Alistair Cooper
Overall rating
Food 10 | Service 9 | Atmosphere 8 | Value for money 7
Saturday, March 11, 2006