Pied a Terre

New beginning

Turbot, charred fennel, dill puree, basil foam

New chef, new beginning. Since the talented chef Marcus Eaves left Pied a Terre, owner David Moore appointed Andy Mcfadden as the new head chef as well as company director. For me, It was a logical decision, as Andy is a hugely talented chef and was already the executive chef at Pied a Terre's sister restaurant, L' Autre Pied. David had made a similar move back in 2011 when he appointed Marcus as the new head chef at Pied a Terre (he was the head chef at L' Autre Pied at that point) to replace the departed Shane Osborn. 

chestnut, mushroom and truffle

hare, jerusalem artichoke, walnut puree, nutmeg

mackerel, cucumber, white balsamic gel, quinoa, dill

We opted for the a la carte menu. The chestnut mushroom soup showcased a great balance of earthiness and nuttiness. I especially enjoyed how the use of black truffle really enhanced the overall flavour. For starter, I had the roasted saddle of hare, it had just the right level of bitterness without going over the top. The meat was tender and finely seasoned, together with the spices and nutty elements, they made it a very ideal winter dish. The main of turbot was sensational, it was perfectly cooked, very moist and smooth. But even better was the fennel, it was simply stunning and worked beautifully with the fish. It was really incredible how Andy has managed to make humble ingredients tasted like heaven. 

john dory, cavolo nero, lemon puree, brown shrimps

carrot cake, passion fruit mousse, vanilla powder

p4

I am a big fan of Andy's cooking style when he was at L' Autre Pied, so it was interesting to see how he had adapted at the more formal, upmarket Pied a Terre. The cooking on the night for me was less creative if I was to directly compare it to L' Autre Pied, but without a doubt it was more elegant and refine. The service was faultless, also I really like how they have refurnished the restaurant since I last visited two years ago, it has a much more classy feel to it now without losing its cosiness. I would definitely return in 2016 to see how Andy progresses and fine-tunes his cooking concept at Pied a Terre, and I am sure it will be something very special.

Food 4/5

Head chef: 
Andy Mcfadden

What I paid: 
£80 per head with 1 glass of wine

Average cost without drinks and services:
£27.50 lunch menu
£105 tasting menu

34 Charlotte St , London, UK W1T 2

www.pied-a-terre.co.uk