The Vegetarian Tasting Menu At Pied A Terre

I might look small, but believe me, I can put away far more food than you could ever possibly imagine. And while Thai and Indian cuisine is my favourite, I very much enjoy venturing out of my comfort zone and trying cuisines that I might not have experienced before. And where better to ‘experience’ something new than fine dining restaurant ‘Pied a Terre’, whose vegetarian 7 course menu intrigued the inner piggy in me. Because I am a firm believer in the saying that ‘more is always better’, knowing that there would be seven courses of sheer greed and gluttony definitely got me excited. But at £94 per menu, it would have to take a special sort of ‘fare’ to appease someone as critical as me. So just how well did ‘Pied a Terre’ fare against all the other restaurants I had tried? Luckily for Pied a Terre, this was actually my first ever ‘fine dining experience’ so I had little other experience in ‘fancy restaurants’, but I had my gal pal, who I affectionately call my milfie and fellow blogger Lindsey, on hand to help give me the rundown on traditional ‘ fine dining fare’.

Let the ‘Hungry Games Commence’…

The decor

Ushered into a small intimate area of the restaurant, the lighting was dim but not unpleasantly so. The light bathed us in a golden glow, and small candles were lit on a shelf above our head, which set a romantic mood for the couples in the room. The decor was simple but not lackluster, and the simple colour palette proved to be a welcoming balance to offset the mood enhancing candles. While the Two star Michelin Restaurant was ‘small’ and intimate, it accentuated Pied a Terre’s ‘notion of fine dining’ and meant that we could eat in a secluded area, which created a rather delicious atmosphere. The dim lighting was great for creating a positive mood among customers but like the ‘dark walls’it cast shadows when attempting to take well lit photos, meaning that it wasn’t necessarily the most photogenic restaurant, a shame considering how beautifully presented the seven courses were but more on that later.

The Aperitifs And The Bread (Canapes)

As my guest was running late from work, I was presented with an endless supply of small salted stone olives, which was a wonderful light snack to momentarily sate my hunger. The olives were moreish but it was the bread basket, once my guest had arrived, that tempted my taste buds the most. Presented with a flourish of the waiters hand , we were given three bread choices, all made fresh for each customer. There was the brown seeded bread, whose nutty consistency was complemented perfectly by the salted churned butter, while the sourdough and foccacia’s soft doughy texture felt lighter on the stomach and was paired with variations of salted and unsalted butter. Although all three bread choices were delicious, it was brown seeded bread that I enjoyed the most, while L loved the sourdough which she stated ‘practically melted in her mouth’ .

Beautifully presented in a wooden bowl, the bread was a delicious accompaniment to a wonderful evening and we awaited the arrival of our aperitifs and canapes eagerly. As L was not a vegetarian, she was testing the £105 Meat Tasting menu and was served with fish mousse, which she believed to be ‘haddock’ on a small selection of mini saltine crackers, alongside vine leaf and black quinoa, while I was served a sharp tangy lemon puree on saltine crackers and the same vine leaf and black quinoa combo as my guest. The presentation of the saltine crackers and the vine leaves was breathtaking; taking inspiration from the sea, the crackers were emblazoned with delicate violet flowers atop sea shells, while layered on top of a glazed ceramic slab that had striking resemblance to a large sea horn. While the presentation was beautiful, I was not a huge fan of the black quinoa, which felt dry to the taste, although the saltine cracker complemented the sour tanginess of the lemon puree beautifully. In contrast L loved her haddock mousse crackers and said the flavour was strong, but not overpowering striking a wonderful balance between the two.

Our last aperitifs were mousses, which were served in large tumblers and decorated with a small sprig of garnish, to add some colour to the otherwise colorless dishes. As a vegetarian I was given the potato and leek mousse, while L was presented with the crab mousse. My potato and leek mousse had a strong taste of ‘leeks’ and the creaminess of the mousse felt light and frothy in my mouth. I liked how the flavour of the potato was subtle,although I would have liked a stronger taste, to cut through the almost overpowering taste of ‘leek’. Nevertheless, the simplicity of the presentation and the delicious dish, made this is a stellar aperitif, while L’s crab mousse was also light on the stomach.While she would have liked the crab to be mixed more thoroughly throughout the mousse-as the crab was at the bottom of the tumbler- she nevertheless stated that she enjoyed the mousse and found it to be a welcome palette cleanser after the canapes.

Course 1 & Wine 

Vegetarian Tasting Menu

British Pumpkins And Squashes/ Egg Yolk and Feta Cheese 

Pumpkin is one of my favourite autumnal pleasures, so I had high standards when I saw the vegetarian tasting menu had a ‘pumpkin and squash dish’.Decorated with sprigs of rocket salad, the greenery added some contrast to the otherwise bright and vivid dish, while a lemon glaze coated the pumpkin and squash brilliantly. To accompany the British pumpkins and squashes I was also presented with egg yolk and feta cheese quaintly served in egg cups and egg boxes, which I thought was a rather sweet touch. The pumpkin was cooked, but had a slight crunch which I loved and melded with the softness of the squash but the egg yolk and feta cheese was wonderfully creamy, with just the right amount of salt, to offset the heaviness of the egg yolk and cheese combination. Out of the two dishes it would be hard to declare a winner, but the pumpkin had the best level of taste, texture and colour overall, with the vivid shades of orange, yellow and green creating a dish that could turn even the most grumpiest frown upside down.

To compliment the two contrasting dishes, an Italian wine that Pied a Terre described as an ‘in-between wine’ titled ‘Maylasia’ was served with the first course. It was sharp and a bit bitter for my preference, although given the heaviness of the first course, it was nevertheless a welcome palette cleanser.

 

Normal Tasting Menu

Isle of Mull Scallops/Yuzu/Celeriac/Autumn Truffle

L loved the presentation of the autumn truffle, complete with yuzu and celeriac but felt that the isle of mull scallops needed more texture, especially as our previous dish had been a mousse as well. While the mousse was well proportioned with scallop flavour, nevertheless L felt that it was a little too foamy for her liking, although she praised the autumn truffle which had plenty of flavour to get her taste buds tingling. She also liked the crunch of the celeriac which had wonderful zest due to the tangy fragrant pulp of the yuzu that had adorned her dish.

For L the highlight of her first course was the Australian wine , which was an FSW Botrytis Viognier;The flavours of the Botrytis, offering opulent flavours of Viognier had a great synergy with the richness of apricots, peaches and spice and had a sweetness that matched the tartness of the yuzu to perfection. It was almost a dessert wine, given the sweetness of the wine in contrast to the first course, but it was not sickly, making it a delicious primary wine to begin with.

Course 2 

Vegetarian Tasting Menu

Warm Lentil and Root Vegetables Casserole & Wine

Served in a large bowl, I was pleasantly surprised at the large portion and the rich scent of lentil wafted around our table pleasantly. While I would have liked more texture as the consistency was smooth and not as textured as I would have liked, nevertheless the base notes of lentil did pair well with the root vegetables and made a wonderful autumn warmer. The dish was soothing but it was the Portuguese Barao Figueria Reserve Red 2014 that was the stand out accompaniment to the second course. The Barao Figueria was a beautiful reminder of my Portuguese roots- as my biological parents are from Madeira, a Portuguese island- and I was touched at the thoughtfulness of Pied a Terre’s tribute to my heritage. A deep ruby colour, with great aromatic complexity, the black and red fruits stand out, such as black cherry and cassis, which contrary to what you might think was not ‘fruity’ but had balsamic resinous notes.

As the wine is fermented in French wood oak, where  malolatic fermentation occurs, there are smoked hints from wood aging, with an after taste of mocha.

Normal Tasting Menu 

Warm Lentil and Root Vegetables Casserole & Wine

Echoing my sentiments about the root vegetable casserole she found that it needed more texture, as it was quite soft and lacked the heartiness of a traditional casserole, although L loved the lentil notes, which melted in her mouth like butter.Traditionally the normal tasting menu would pair the casserole with gammon, but as she is not a fan of pork, she asked for a vegetarian version of the casserole, akin to me. To differentiate, L’s casserole was paired with the 2015 Herdade Da Mingorra Terras D’uva Tinto Regional Alentejano Alentejo, also from Portugal. Although traditionally paired with beef and venison, the Terras D’Uva Tinto, was a rich and intense red wine, with complex red-fruit aromatic flavours. Just as warming as the root casserole, the tinto had slight base notes of spice and jam, with a powerful taste of bitter cherry, creating a wine that wouldn’t be out of place at a Christmas dinner table.

Course Three 

Vegetarian Tasting Menu

Heritage Carrot/Star Anise/Charred Leeks/Black Sesame + Wine 

True to the ‘tasting menu’ element, as the course title suggests, the heritage carrots was brought out on a small plate, but nevertheless beautiful in its simple presentation. The carrots were paired with charred leeks, which were smoky in flavour while the star anise had licorice undertones and married well with the black sesame. The charred leeks were soft yet crispy, while the carrots had enough crunch and texture to add a multi-layered tasting palette to the clever third course. I would have liked a stronger hint of black sesame and a fraction less star anise, but the heritage carrots were undoubtedly the stand out point of the dish.

To compliment the heritage carrots, I was given sparkling riesling, an Australian sparkling wine with aromas of freshly buttered toast with lemon curd and hints of cashews, brioche and lime marmalade. Despite the homely scent of the wine, the flavours were fruity, with notes of  honey, green mango and grapefruit, yet a surprising persistent, crisp, dry finish.

Normal Tasting Menu 

67° Octopus/Squid Ink/Piquillo Pepper/Spring Onion & Wine 

Having once tried an octopus pre-vegetarian days in Madeira when I was about 7, the thought of watching my companion chow down on the octopus was enough to scare me. Luckily it wasn’t a giant octopus, and the squid ink did create a beautiful finish on L’s octupus dish, which was accompanied by Piquillo pepper and spring onion. L’s favourite dish so far, she praised the tenderly cooked octopus and was surprised how fragrant the squid ink tasted in her mouth. The piquillo flavours had balsamic vinaigrette undertones and matched the heady 2016 Gönnheimer Riesling, Eymann, Pfalz, a medium bodied dry wine.  With enticing aromas of Lemon verbena, red apple and citrus aromas,  the wine’s had a vibrant acidity and a long, persistent, dry finish.

Course 4 

Vegetarian Tasting Menu

Onion Lyonnaise Tart Feuilleté/Endive/Douglas Fir/Parsley

Despite its appearance, which reminded me of bark, its similarities to nature stopped there. Although not usually a fan of onion the tart feuillete, garnished with endive, douglas fir and parsely was surprisingly moreish. The lyonnaise tart was almost charred which created a wonderfully smoked flavour, while the parsely lent a degree of freshness to the fourth course. Although the pumpkin remained my favourite dish thus far, I was surprised by how much I had liked the onion tart, a sentiment further cemented by the addition of a Hungarian wine titled Sauska Furmint, made in 2015. A dry wine with fresh, cinnamon in the nose along with serious volcanic minerality, it was a sweet but not sickly wine, with honey and apricot aromas. The waxiness of the Hungarian wine was tinged with spice and while traditionally paired with salads , its malolactic fermentation, complimented the charred woodiness of the onion tart.

Normal Tasting Menu

Cornish Plaice Meuniere/Courgette/Banana/Baby Onions

Beautifully presented, the Cornish Plaice was another stand out dish for L and married well with the courgette, banana and baby onions nest that the plaice was nestled in. She mentioned it had a clean and light taste in the mouth, while the pulpy banana and baby onions created the contrast between ‘sweet’ and savory, with a hint of sour that had been craving throughout the courses. She could tell that the Plaice was locally sourced as it was fresh but did mention that she would have liked the courgette to be a little more well cooked, as it was slightly al dente. To compliment L’s fresh fish dish, she was presented with another Portuguese wine:Quinta da Garrida Dao Reserva. Deep, dark and dense in colour, this rich, ripe and intense wine has powerful black smoky fruit, offset with spicy vanilla characters, while black cherry, bitter mocha, and velvet tannins have combined to produce a really smooth and complex wine.

Course 5 

Vegetarian Tasting Menu

Organic Spelt Risotto/Autumn Truffle without Wild Mushrooms

As I can’t have mushrooms, the wild mushrooms were committed, so I had an organic spelt risotto with autumn truffle, green beans and rocket salad. The risotto had a nutty aftertaste which I liked, while the additional truffle did lend a richness to the dish. While my photos do the dish no justice-damn you lighting- nevertheless the risotto was bright and had vivid texture, as opposed to the mousses of earlier courses, although I would have liked some spice or black pepper seasoning to make the dish a little more exciting. It was however not bland to say the least and was still a delicious 5th course. To add some spice to the fifth course I was provided with a San Valentino Imalatesti Sangiovese-Merlot Rosso Rubicone 2014, which had a rich fruity flavor but yet was delicately balanced with the body. With notes of ripe cherries and wild raspberries, the medium intensity garnet wine was just as enticing to look at, as it was in the mouth.

Normal Tasting Menu

Grilled Beef Picanha/Bone Marrow/Baby Spinach/Beetroot 

While traditionally served with Enoki mushrooms, L was given mini beetroot to accompany the beef pichanha bone marrow, whose earthiness combined well with the baby spinach and seasoned gravy glaze. The beef marrow was as L put it cooked to perfection and melted in her mouth, while she appreciated the gravy glaze for making her fifth course more moist and tender, a skill that she very much admired. The meal was bright and welcoming and tied with the Octopus for being her favourite dish, throughout our tasting session. A secret red wine was paired with her beef pichanha although it bore striking similarities with the Quinta da Garrida Dao Reserva, as it had similar black cherry, bitter mocha, and velvet tannins.

Course 6 

Cheese Selection

The cheese selection, served with large multi grain crackers, included infamous cheeses like brie, extra mature cheddar and goats cheese, served in a delicate wooden shelf. Out of all the courses, the cheese selection was undoubtedly my favourite, but I was aggrieved that I was already so full from the five other courses to enjoy the cheeses to their fullest. In all honesty I probably should have asked to take the cheeses home with me , but I didn’t think of getting a ‘doggy bag’ at the time. Complimented with a sweet dessert wine that had aromas of cinnamon, apricot and honey with melon and pineapple to taste, the cheeses had been beautifully matured and would be a delicious pre-dinner snack on its own, while the wine was once again a masterful choice from Pied a Terre.

Course 7 

Pre-Dessert

Chocolate Pavé/Chilli/Stem Ginger

By this point I was so full that I felt like my stomach would explode but I was ready for some delicious desserts no matter what. The deserts were beautifully presented, with foam toppings and the richness of the chocolate offset by the chili and ginger, proved to be a powerful combination. The ginger settled my bloated stomach, while the pinch of chili lent spice to the chocolate pave creating a dessert that had divine undertones of the Christmas season. The sweet melon and pineapple notes of the dessert wine, complimented the richness of the pave, and stopped it from being too rich to taste. In short the pre-dessert was well seasoned, had plenty of flavour and had enough indulgence to satisfy my sweet tooth.

We were also given a delicious raspberry and blueberry compote with lemon glaze that was light and frothy in the mouth. It had markings of a mousse with the airwhipped cream and the fruit coulis added some tangible yet much needed sharpness to the pre-desert. After the rich indulgence of the chocolate pave, the fruit compote was a welcome light dessert for the stomach to handle.

Coffee and Petits Fours

Our final meal for our seventh and final course was a cup of coffee and petit fours; while I chose a decaf latte to accompany my petit fours, L decided to go without and share the sweet treats with me. The petit four included a prune and a truffle, which went well with my latte, although I still preferred the chocolate pave at the beginning of the seventh course. It was a welcome way to finish our delicious meal at Pied a’ Terre and a great break from all the wine we had consumed over the course of the seven courses.

Food Rating 7.5/10

Drink Rating 9.5/10

Service  8/10

Have You Ever Tried A Tasting Menu Before? What Are Your Thoughts On Fine Dining?