L'Autre Pied

Read a great review by Kate Spicer in the Sunday Times some weeks ago and have been waiting to try it out.

My wife and I ate there this week and had the good fortune to visit on a warm sunny day and take advantage of outside tables, probably the first and last oppurtunity this summer.

The restaurant is simple and actually very plain. Some touches of colour in a Chinese style wallpaper and floral glass panels that look very expensive along with bright red banquet seating and lovely wooden tables. I liked the simplicity and order of the restaurant.

We started with 2 glasses of champagne (£9 each) not a champagne I had heard of before, lamandier-Bernier, very elegant and soft, accommapnied by wonderful olives and warm bread.

My wife had the rare seared tuna with toasted sesame seed with lime and coriander (£9.95) Beautifully cooked, or should I say NOT cooked, flavours and textures worked wonderfully together. I had a Soft poached egg with Morteaux sausage puree, with fresh peas and a very clever smoked butter emulsion (£8.50) would love to know how you smoke butter. We drank a white burgundy by the glass Rully 2006.

Main courses can often be a bit of a let down, especially when starters have been outstanding; they didn't disappoint. Jenny had a pan-fried Plaice with Charlotte potatoes, spring veg and a herb and lemon broth, sensational!! (£18.50) no side dishes needed, but she said she would have liked the option of having a small salad with it, but nothing seemed to be offered on the menu and I got the feeling that it was right to ask! My main was fillet of Cornish lamb with cougette puree served with an amazing polenta and black olive juice (£21.50). I said the polenta was amazing and it trully was, I am not a fan of the sloggy stuff but opted for the lamb as I wanted a meat dish and this was the only item that was non fish or veggy. And, of course the lamb was cooked perfectly and the pairing of the flavours was well thought out. I drank a 2003 Lalande Pomerol, Chateau des Moines £8 it was suggested by the lady lookingafter the wine and was a fine choice.

We didn't have any desserts or cheese, just 2 more glasses of the red followed by a fine espresso, served with little chocolates and fruity things.

A smashing day out followed by some serious shopping on the high street afterwards.
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ann walsh
Overall rating
Food 10 | Service 10 | Atmosphere 9 | Value for money 10
Friday, June 13, 2008

Whilst this restaurant may be sufficiently 'trendy' to accommodate (note two Ms CATwoman?!), so-called 'doctors' off of "Casualty" and St. John's Ambulance staff, the more discerning of us prefer not to be bullied into liking a place just 'cos it has a posh name or is similar to places on "ER"!

A lot of the customers seemed to have left their brains (and wallets/dole cheques) outside. easily pleased. And please stop making excuses for the cook - he may be inexperienced, but that doesn't mean we have to be his training ground. That's why we have Gordon Ramsay's TV shows!
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Simon Garston
Overall rating
Food 2 | Service 1 | Atmosphere 1 | Value for money 2
Tuesday, June 10, 2008

Last Saturday we attended a christening party at L’Autre Pied. It was fantastic. We started off with Champagne and canapés (carmalised pork belly and salmon tartare) on the terrace and then settled into a 5 course lunch. We had beetroot terrine, plaice fillet in a yummy lemon broth and the main course was a slow cooked lamb neck which was melting. All amazing. After the delicious cheese we had a wonderful strawberry crumble with basil ice cream. We had a fabulous day and were so well looked after. Can’t wait to go back and try out the a la carte.
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DV
Overall rating
Food 10 | Service 10 | Atmosphere 10 | Value for money 10
Saturday, May 31, 2008

I follow the reviews on l'Autre Pied with much amusement and wonder who these people really are.

How has such an unassuming and clearly talented young cook come in for so much criticism? It beggars belief, that in a city so devoid of chefs trying, that his worst critic is that he tries too hard.

I say, keep on trying as hard as you can and don't let these small, petty minded people get you down. Because they will if you let them.

I believe Chef Eaves is only 26, I look forward to a long career and can't imagine would treasures he will be cooking in the years to come.

I am fortunate to have an office nearby and eat there every week. I suggest you try it yourself, it's not expensive at all and is actually really good value when you consider it is crafted and expertly executed.
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the doc
Overall rating
Food 10 | Service 9 | Atmosphere 10 | Value for money 10
Friday, May 30, 2008

Worst Foot Forward

Supper at L’Autre Pied was a schizophrenic experience. Occasional breakthroughs of culinary excellence punctuated an otherwise conceited catastrophe. Some of the dishes were ridiculous.

Weedily motifed, jade green backlit panels illuminate the bland room off Blandford Street. Billowing voiles evoking shopping catalogue shower curtains gauzily blur the opposing presence of the Marylebone ‘Giraffe’. Cochineal sofas nudge naked teaky tabletops, where some design fraud has permantently carved placemats. In our case, it would be ergonomically impossible to sit where prescribed.

It is overall reminiscent of Soho’s ‘Arbutus’ in that tables are greedily close, a small bar is shoehorned for aesthetics rather than function, and more attention has been lavished on the lavatories then the dining room. Both venues pretend to be inexpensive too.

The young, loudly lauded Marcus Eaves is installed at the helm. This Ramsay scholar is Shane Osborn’s protégé, having cut his teeth at the two Michelin starred ‘Pied à Terre’.

More so then any other dining experience, I really got a sense of his personality spunkily blasting through onto the puréed, emulsioned, foamed and moussed plates. Great fare for denture adventurers...

Dining with a fellow gastro-sapien, we were determined to give the venue thorough review reconnaissance. Whilst sizing up the menu, we took in aperitifs of chilled, tear tasting Manzanilla and buxom, frisky NV Larmandier Champagne, a naturally inclined producer who harvests his pristine fruit according to the lunar cycle.

The bread, served with a thimble of bright Normandy butter, was bole coloured: tasty, but fibreglass wool in consistency. 125ML portions of '06 Anselmi accompanied, a dazzling, pert, greengage scented wine from Soave, but not labelled as such because of the majority of fellow producers lack of ambition for the region; and a fruity, papaw seed spiked Austrian. Grüner Veltliner is currently catwalk material, although this version lacked spiciness. (Hoher Rain, also '06). A bottle of ‘inert’ tasting sparkling water with a trade value of 59P was physically, guiltlessly aggressively poured, uncomfortably morphing into its new £3.50 value. The stemless glasses were good-looking, however.

We chose two further whites to escort three starters: a flaccid rather than wiry middled '05 Rully (Jacquesson) and a slightly closed, but interesting pithy, musky, but springly floral '06 Côtes du Rhone (Arnaud). We asked for all three dishes at once, but only two came at first. Despite the fact that it exacerbates my companion’s gout, we still ordered Pan Fried Foie Gras with Apricot and Vanilla Purée and Bay Leaf Foam. Gustatorily the collage worked, although aesthetically, the foam looked like a cuckoo wretched it. The sweetness of the apricot ‘sun’ and the vanilla ‘measles’ soothed the gamey goose but reeked of affectation.

A salad of Smoked Eel implicated Marinated ‘Young’ (preferable to geriatric) Vegetables and salacious, translucent Lardo di Colonnato. Intriguingly the eel had been turned into something in texture tofu and in taste, smoked mozzarella. I thought this was odd, although my companion felt tasteful affection towards it. The Cornish Crab, which arrived as an intermediate course, along with a whimpering apology, also brought with it yet another Purée, this time Avocado, and a Tzatziki (gentrified cucumber yoghurt) Mousse, with a Lime and Coriander Nage (I.E. poached). Being served in splendid isolation rather than camouflaged between the other starters as intended, we were forced to concentrate our entire attentions towards this outstandingly disappointing, deflated mess. The palate police report that there was hardly any crab involved in the incident. And the presence of more foam made me sympathetic for the slathering cuckoo in the kitchen.

We replaced our twee cutlery and wiped the dirty mess from our mouths with horrid tea towel napkins.

The wine list by the bottle is divided into two areas: plebeian and privileged. Both sections carry ungregarious mark-ups. The apparently absent sommelier appears to welcome the presence of organically inclined bins.

We brought our own bottles, stomaching corkage. L-P normally charges £50 per bottle. Whilst this is an undoubtedly brave, feverish levy, it is by no means the worst example of taxation on taste which restaurateurs are so fond of.

We both decided that Slow Cooked Breast of Veal with (wait for it) Puréed Potato, Caramelised Sweetbread and Hazelnut ‘Jus’ looked good for the main feature. A deeply inelegant, packed plateful transpired, lustily over-salted, eagerly lacquered, and partitioned with a surprise appearance of crisp broccoli. My companion valued the sweetbreads, and I thought the veal was brilliantly cooked, although the saline intrusion was overwhelming.

Our '98 Gevrey-Chambertin ‘Lavaux St. Jacques’ by Denis Mortet aided with crisp, cleansing acidity. Whilst it might be tempting to dustily treasure rather than taste such a bottle, produced by the gifted, meticulous Burgundy craftsmen who took his life in '06, it was much more interesting to liberate the subtly focussed liquid. It was dark, masculine and savoury, with dry molasses, forest floor and a little organic farmyard too.

The best culinary component of the meal followed, which ironically required little intervention from Chef. A humble round of Saint-Marcellin, a soft cheese from the Alpes worked in eloquent unison with brittle, malty charcoal biscuits and Wild Celery and Truffle Salad. The waiter insisted that this was made from goats milk, although it felt more like a cow had caused it.

We intervalled with an outstanding, classic Claret, Château Pichon Longueville Comtesse de Lalande '85. Beguiling, ‘old school’ according to my companion, feminine, haunting, with eyeliner pencil and a delicious, seeping ripeness just beneath the savoury, privet crispness. Refreshing and smoothly sculpted. It resembled the Edwardian supermodel '82.

Blood Orange Mille-feuille ('thousand sheets' with Lemon Curd Ice Cream, which arrived muddled by all sorts of other sprinkles and rough purées, provided the epicentre of an argument with the Maitre’d. Lubricated by the fine wine treats, I albeit politely joked that what looked like a brushed chocolate smile should be turned to greet the eater rather than form the hair to the ‘face’. He then launched into an uninspiring tirade about how such a rotation would upset the sacrosanct rule that ice cream should be attacked from the right. Everyone who is anyone would know that… Bastard.

My companion left most of his Rhubarb, Pistachio and Almond Crumble with Rhubarb Sorbet and Cardamom Ice Cream. Frankly, a flavour pile-up.

Small glasses of sweet, summertime shivery '04 Jurançon, Magendia (‘the best’) from Clos Lapeyre and dense, toasted nut, apricot and marmalade Sauternes from (Who’s the) Clos Dady (also '04) rinsed the mire. These were tail-gated by a Moscato grappa and Guyana rum, both of which were barely potable. I am familiar with the various expressions of Grappa, generally feeling reassured when I see a single varietal expression, and I have tried rums too strong to freeze. These jagged antiseptic concoctions should however have been prefaced with the warning ‘harmful if swallowed’. I have a solution for the remaining stock: contribute it towards the government’s winter fuel allowance for the elderly, in the process helping ease the burden of A. Darling’s latest tax perversion.

L’Autre Pied has been open long enough to improve its act: refine the menu, rendering dishes concise and pretty rather than experimentally messy. Countless critics have, and continue to patiently itemise the faults with its formula. So many wasted words. One describes the fare as 'fiddly cobblers'. I bet the team of Chefs leave service close to collapse. Another captures the overall confusion as an 'identity crisis'. There is no clear identity. Personally, having spent a small fortune, what I craved was the rinse of a frozen margarita from the Giraffe opposite… At least there would be some atmosphere
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Douglas Nicholas Austen Blyed
Overall rating
Food 6 | Service 5 | Atmosphere 4 | Value for money 5
Saturday, May 24, 2008

A little disappointed with the set lunch menu as there was no choice. Therefore, skate was the order of the day for the main course.

Everything was pleasant but certainly not memorable. In fact, dessert was a bit bland and the cheese at a £3 supplement was a better bet.

Tables were very small and cramped. Alright but not worthy of a return visit.
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Yvonne A.
Overall rating
Food 7 | Service 7 | Atmosphere 5 | Value for money 6
Wednesday, May 21, 2008

It was my first time at l'autre pied on friday evening and i must say i didnt really know what to expect. we opted for 7 course tasting menu at 49.50, which at first seemed a little pricey but given the dishes we had and the quality it was definately well worth it. We arrived at around eight and the place was buzzing we were greeted by friendly and charming staff and were shown to our table. The most pleasant thing about l'autre pied is that the food is modern and tastes bloody good. i think the restaurant is exceptional and the food is so well balanced and is accesable to everyone. You are really spoilt for choice. This restaurant is so refreshing and exciting. Its definately worth a visit and were already thinking of an excuse to go again so soon.
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s.e
Overall rating
Food 10 | Service 9 | Atmosphere 9 | Value for money 10
Sunday, May 18, 2008

I visited last Thursday, all five of us doctors who eat out regularly - so no comments about our eating/educational background please.

While the food we found to be generally acceptable, we arrived at 8.30pm and didn't finish our meal until 11.15pm due to the protracted wait between courses. One out of us didn't order a main course and therefore didn't actually receive any food until 9.45pm. And we weren't dawdling over our starters.

What I found astonishing was that there were no vegetarian dishes at all on the menu. Chef did accomodate the non-meat eater in our party but the report on this was not favourable. "A mushroom mush" I think were the words used.

So here's my honest critique of L'Autre Pied. Would I be rushing back - hardly. But if you all see a backlash of a series of reviews now all defending the restaurant and trying to pick holes in my account, make your own judgement.
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Cat - View all reviews by this user
Overall rating
Food 7 | Service 7 | Atmosphere 7 | Value for money 5
Wednesday, May 14, 2008

In reply to the Anonymous reviewer, we eat at L'Autre and the food is sublime, the service first rate and never do we or any of our friends have to wait more than 15 / 20 minutes for a course, any less would call into question the freshness of the vittals and the prominence of a microwave.
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Michael Byfield
Overall rating
Food 10 | Service 10 | Atmosphere 10 | Value for money 10
Wednesday, May 14, 2008

l'autre pied is an absolute breath of fresh air on the london restaurant scene with fantastic food at more than reasonable prices. I ate there on tuesday lunch and and opted for the lunch menu and funnily enough i ate the rabbit the previous reviewer commented on, i have to say i strongly disagree this food was outstanding value for money and i cant think of many restaurants offering 3 courses for £20.

What i find most enjoyable is that the food is exceptional and the service is top drawer without any over elaboration or unwanted waiting staff hovering over our table, the service a great balance of relaxed but yet professional in the same note.

As for as waiting or punctuality with regards to the food arriving on time ??? well myself and my partner waited around 15 minutes for our starter and around 20 minutes for our main course which i have to say was just right if the food had arrived any faster one would have to question the restaurants quality!! restaurants of this standard tend to cook their dishes to order and if one was to decide not to have a starter then i'm sure there may be a slight delay but in a restaurant of such calibre this is to be expected.

The restauarant manager was very attentive and well spoken (ENGLISH) accent a far cry from the snooty french reffered to in the previous review. L' autre pied please have faith in your LOYAL customers WE WILL BE BACK !!!!!!!
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terry stern
Overall rating
Food 10 | Service 10 | Atmosphere 8 | Value for money 9
Wednesday, May 14, 2008