The main ground floor area is called The Brasserie. Upstairs is the smaller, rather intimate Restaurant, and there are two fine dining rooms available for private parties. The Restaurant menu is not extensive (five dishes of each course), but the offerings are both unusual and imaginative. Chef Phillip Reynolds has been in charge of the upstairs operation since last September.
The Brasserie, where we ate, is anything but a brasserie both in terms of decor - comfortable with striking and colourful modern pictures - and cuisine - Hollihead himself cooks downstairs. The menu offers a choice of nine starters all of which cost Stg 6.50, followed by nine main course at Stg 12.50, except for roast sea scallops and saddle of venison which both have a three pound supplement.
I began with Terrine of roast lamb sweetbreads which came beautifully arranged with little islands of seared vegetables in sherry vinaigrette. The slice of terrine itself looked like an heraldic device, quartered with contrasting colours and flavours of sweetbreads, leeks and sweet red peppers. My partner had Beignet of snails, anchovy and almond butter. Normally I try to put my dining companions off the ubiquitous and ordinary snails in garlic butter, but here at L'Escargot one was dying to see what could be done with their eponymous creature. Three exquisite filo bon-bons arrived, set down in a delicate almond butter sauce. The snail and anchovy filling was perfectly combined, the anchovies adding richness without being overpowering or too salty.
In our corner of the restaurant, the tables are quite close together and we struck up lively conversations about food with our neighbours on both sides. One table had Deep fried goat's cheese, Provencale - which was greatly appreciated, and Air dried duck breast whose finely sliced pink slivers of duck resembled an exotic waterlily floating on its pool of orange and juniper. On my left a well built Frenchman impatiently tossed the leaves of his Salad fermière with poached quails eggs and carmelised shallots muttering something about 'ou sont les oeufs?'. However, his companions who were also French, were evidently delighted with their Beef carpaccio, tapenade, shallot and tomato salad, which was more substantial and just as beautifully arranged.
For my main course, I had Rabbit leg filled with shallots and dried tomatoes. This was served in a deep soup plate to accommodate the delicately flavoured parsley cream with macaroni. The stuffing was excellent, and although I personally prefer my rabbit more gamey, the ensemble was perfectly matched. My partner had Filet of halibut, mussels and baby squid, which was an arrangement so picturesque that only a philistine or a very hungry lady could bear to vandalise it. Appetite prevailed over aesthetics and the halibut went the way of all flesh. It had lain on a bed of vivid pureed spinach and the crispy tentacles of squid and yellow mussels were dotted about in a carrot butter sauce. The flavours were subtle: it was a dish to eat slowly and thoughtfully.
Our neighbours were greatly enjoying their saddle of venison, with honey roast parsnips and chestnuts, and the French were assaulting Braised lamb shank Provencale. It was quite funny to hear one Frenchman (the waiter) trying to explain to another what 'shanks' were. When the dish arrived, it was clearly the upper end of the leg joint of a very young lamb. The Loin of pork, gruyère and tomato compote looked good, and our neighbour reported that she enjoyed it very much.
For pudding, Tarte Tatin comes in portions for two people, so we chose a Chocolate Marquise made with fine dark chocolate in a caramel sauce and Prune and almond tarte with its fresh palate cleansing armagnac icecream. I was amused to see that our French friend had managed to get a whole Tatin to himself. It looked wonderfully caramelised and very substantial it was too.
We had a glass of champagne each (Stg 6.00), followed by a 1986 Chateau La Roche Beaulieu from the Cotes de Castillon. At Stg 23.00 a bottle this is one of a huge range of Bordeaux wines whose prices start at Stg 16.00 and go up into the hundreds. The wine list is a very comprehensive booklet, complete with a contents page. But help is at hand in the shape of the charming and enthusiastic sommelier Edoardo Amadi. Here is a man who cares about his list and wants you to enjoy good wines that match the cuisine. M. Amadi introduces his wines with care and interest but without a trace of condescension.
L'Escargot sets very high standards in all departments; the cooking is excellent and the presentation is a joy to behold. In comparison with many lesser establishments that often seem to charge the earth, the price of your meal at l'Escargot need not be that high. Perhaps the service could be sharpened up a bit without destroying the relaxed, unstuffy atmosphere.
Clifford Mould
Brasserie Prices:
Two courses from Stg 17.00, three courses Stg 23.50
Three course dinner for two with one bottle of house wine,
mineral water and coffee: Stg 65.00
Service 12.5%
Restaurant prices:
Two courses Stg 25.00 Three courses Stg 30.00
Three course dinner for two with a bottle of 1990 St Joseph PJA,
mineral water, coffee and petits fours: Stg 93.00
Service 15%
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