Terroirs

This place was highly recommended to me so I was looking forward to my first visit.

An inauspicious start with the maitre'd being more than a little flakey when I turned up to meet my friend for our pre-booked table. The table wasn't ready so she suggested we go to the bar for a drink. There was no space at the bar and we stood there being ignored by the busy bar staff for around 10 minutes. When we eventually made our drinks order they never turned up.

Things swiftly picked up when we were seated. The menu is tempting with a diverse selection of small plates. The waiter was charming and informative regarding which wine to choose from the extensive list (we ended up with an organic Cabernet Sauvignon). The food was delicious.

Will definitely go again.
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Brixton Bird - View all reviews by this user
7 Overall rating
Food 8 | Service 6 | Atmosphere 7 | Value for money 6
Monday, August 30, 2010

This really is the most fabulous place to spend time. Every time we go the variety of dishes make chosing a difficult task so it is lucky that they have small portions as well as entree size selections. That way you can work your way through a wider range of dishes. Everything is fresh and full of flavour. The cheeses are superb.

The wine list is extensive and unusual with some fresh alternatives to the usual run of the mill wine list.

Service is good and the atmosphere is busy.
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wdandak - View all reviews by this user
10 Overall rating
Food 10 | Service 10 | Atmosphere 10 | Value for money 10
Wednesday, August 25, 2010

Went back after a year and Terroirs is if anything is even better. It is run beautifully by charming, relaxed attentive people. Sat downstairs and was treated to a number of excellent dishes. The charcuterie plate was perfect and followed that with divine anchovies with butter and onion, superb Matje herring. THe wine waiter helped us choose excellent wines to accompany these dishes and the whole experience was perfect
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Toby Reisz
9 Overall rating
Food 9 | Service 9 | Atmosphere 9 | Value for money 9
Saturday, July 31, 2010

Terroirs ticks all the boxes: good food, brilliant wine and a vibrant atmosphere.
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David
10 Overall rating
Food 10 | Service 10 | Atmosphere 10 | Value for money 10
Thursday, July 22, 2010

Totally lush
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Alex Farrell
10 Overall rating
Food 10 | Service 10 | Atmosphere 10 | Value for money 10
Wednesday, July 21, 2010

This is definitely a wine bar first and restaurant second. Taken that way round, it almost works - bar the fact that it is laid out like a very tightly packed French bistro! The tables are really there to be eaten from. So, taken that way round, the food was very disappointing. Service was, apart form the maitre d', very amateurish - young kids who knew next to nothing about the food. The food itself? We had some charcuterie, which was okay, nothing startling. We've had much better (the Bull and Last's, as one example), and the clams we had again were okay (many were closed), but we've had better (Barrafina). The green salad's dressing I had was not properly mixed, leaving dollops of mustard over it. And the "smoked cod's roe" was essentially roe-flavoured mayonnaise - very oily and not very nice to eat. The next table's jamon looked extremely cheap and nasty medium pink colour. The gentlemen next to us had had some bad service issues, and were promised a free meal at a later date! And our table, well, I was on the wall side, and when the loaded up the tables next to us, I literally couldn't get out - maybe part of a charming bistro experience in Paris, but not here! We just wanted to get out, frankly. Oh, and it wasn't cheap either. Finally, yes, we had a bottle of wine, which was very nice, but it might have been nice had they keep it cold for us, and not just plonked it down on the table.
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Alan Flett
4 Overall rating
Food 4 | Service 4 | Atmosphere 4 | Value for money 4
Monday, July 19, 2010

Had a great meal at Terroirs this week which hit the mark on every front. Started with tete de fromage with a lovely sauce gribiche and some fabulous rillons, little cubes of pork belly with a gratifying crunch. Next up were some juicy prawns with tangy romesco sauce. Absolutely deliciuous finger food. Marinated Matje herrings slid down easily, but the highlight was a special of razor clams anointed with olive oil, lemon and fresh herbs.

As your other correspondents have intimated Terroir's wine list and the wine service are a joy. There are treasures on every page and, praise be, the wines (which are great value) taste sublime. Some won't be to everyone's taste, but there is so much choice at so many different price points that you will find something.

Terroirs has the buzz of a city centre restaurant/wine bar and the friendliness of a local. Staff are pleasant and smiley and customers seem to be having a great time. Vive la natural wine revolution!
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10 Overall rating
Food 10 | Service 10 | Atmosphere 10 | Value for money 10
Thursday, June 17, 2010

I had the panacotta here and it was so good it made me want to weep.

Primarily I come here for the wines....great list and some of the staff are very informative. makes a change to order wine with people who know their job...which doesn't normally happen in less expensive places.

There is one young man in particular who is extremely wine savvy, you almost get the feeling he grew up breathing wine into his veins...he is a great asset to the team.

Food is generally good, there are some dishes like the clams which I wouldn't order again only because frankly I can knock one up myself in the time it takes to pop a champagne cork. oger-salting is sometimes an issue. The charcuterie is wonderful, particularly the pistachio and pork terrine.

I suggest you sit yourself down at the bar order a round of shimmering oysters, fin de claire variety here and always sublime. then have some charcuterie...all accompanied by a recommended wine...you can languish over this or adjourn to a main such as juicy bavette steak.

i've had starters only, desserts only, wine only or the full works here... and its all welcomed. you dont need to feel you have to order a main meal...it's all very relaxed in that way the french do so well.
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9 Overall rating
Food 9 | Service 9 | Atmosphere 9 | Value for money 9
Thursday, June 17, 2010

Took my wife and a couple of friends on a Saturday evening. We ate at a table in the bar upstairs - downstairs was booked out.

Absolutely outstanding. What a gem. Loved everything about this place.

It's done out in a very simple, unpretentious way and the atmosphere was very informal and relaxed.

The wine list is superb: so much interest, variety and sheer off the wall craziness. Extremely fairly priced too. If you're not feeling too creative or adventurous let the staff take the reins. All recommendations hit the spot and exceeded expectations. We had a couple of bottles of the excellent house champagne (Philipponnat Royale Reserve) which was spot on at a reasonable £45. There was a very nice Provence rose, then an incredibly smokey Loire white (more like single malt whisky in bouquet than anything vinious I've previously drunk - but lovely and refreshing in the mouth). Finally an excellent Burgundy pinot noir, which was everything it should have been (and far more than we expected it to be for thirty odd quid). I know we drank an awful lot, but it was kiddy in a sweet shop time... Be brave and you'll be rewarded.

The menu upstairs is very short, but none the worse for that. Of the mains the woodcock (or was it quail? I didn't order it - but did manage to pinch a leg) was excellent, much tastier than so small a foul has any right to be. The charcuterie was first class (especially the duck rillettes).

Of the small plates the smoked eel was a real star - so fresh tasting. And the girls were crazy for the (huge, spanking fresh, luminous) king prawns. (The chacuterie plus three small plates was ample for two chaps with big appetities - thanks to the staff we didn't over order)

The only dish I wouldn't repeat was the snails. Lacked a bit of tautness somehow.

The food was very good value for the quality.

And the staff. They're the only element iIve seen seriously criticised in other reviews. On Saturday they were charm and verve personified. The pixie-ish red-headed French manageress with her surprised, intrigued eyes, set the tone. Capable, relaxed, knowlegable, helpful, skilled and professional. The Australian waitress (and this is a first for me) was brilliant, gently steering us in the right direction with the wines. The pace of service was perfect.

Don't go if you like flashy, formal, or "fine dining" restaurants. Go if you appreciate effortless excellence done with relaxed elegance.
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Kwev
10 Overall rating
Food 9 | Service 10 | Atmosphere 10 | Value for money 10
Tuesday, May 25, 2010

They really espouse the slow food ethos in the kitchen and cellar of this centrally located gem. Well worth tracking down as it's a great place to enjoy a glass of wine and a couple of light plates after work.
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www.grumblinggourmet.com - View all reviews by this user
8 Overall rating
Food 8 | Service 8 | Atmosphere 8 | Value for money 8
Saturday, April 24, 2010