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A Chiswick Gem
by Daniel Darwood, Co- Editor.

An “effusion” of eateries! A “riot” of
restaurants! In fact, what is the collective
noun for a group of dining establishments?
Whatever term it is, Chiswick qualifies in
abundance. The high street is profuse with
every possible type of cuisine, along with
coffee houses, wine bars and pubs; fittingly
so, given the wealthy professional classes
that populate this western suburb: why go
to the West End when so much is on offer a
stone's throw away?

The real gem, almost hidden from view if
walking along Chiswick High Street, is La
Trompette, a modern, stylish, French
restaurant which was Which? Good Food
Guide London Newcomer of the Year in
2002. Tucked in between and opposite
various ethnic restaurants in a busy side
street, with awning and outside tables for al
fresco dining, the restaurant exudes a
confident, sophisticated, and refined air of
luxury. Fortunately, complacency is not in
evidence. The restaurant, shortly to have a
new head chef given the imminent
departure of Ollie Couillaud to the
Dorchester, continues to produce classic
and modern French dishes of high quality,
with a few new creations to reflect the
seasons and ring the changes.

With slightly cramped space, and no bar
area, the diner is immediately confronted –
when the restaurant is full – with a cheerful
buzz. The décor is tastefully understated,
with padded leather banquets, spotlights,
floor to ceiling windows and a touch of
tubular steel; all in perfect harmony with
each other and a fitting backdrop for the
culinary delights being served.

With 8 choices in each of the three courses
- a real bargain at £32.50 (£42.50 including
cheese) - an embarrassment of choice
awaits the discerning diner. One can be
certain shellfish, game, offal, poultry and
red meat featuring on the savoury courses.
Starters are in many ways the most creative
and imaginative area of the menu.
Consider for instance, a tarte fine of
venison, comprising feather light puff pastry
with a celeriac tatin and horseradish cream.
Although a rich dish, embellished as it was
with a port reduction, the effect was not
heavy or cloying. Nor was it over sweet
which can easily be the case with many
inferior versions. The taste of the medium
rare paper thin venison fillet was enhanced
but not overwhelmed by the garnishes, the
horseradish cream proving also an
excellent balance with its slight acidity and
nuttiness.

Sharing a cote de boeuf would seem a
gourmand’s indulgence of massive
proportions. What prevented this from
happening was partly due to the perfect
timing of the cooking (medium rare), and
the expert carving after an appropriate
resting period. The taste of good meat is
always enhanced when carved fairly thinly.
The beef was also well hung, exuding
much flavour from the marbled fat. In
addition, the red wine sauce and the
accompanying classic béarnaise, produced
a deeply satisfying contrast of tastes and
consistencies. The pommes frites,
probably cooked in ground nut oil, provided
a cleanness of flavour without the over
richness often found in duck fat chips.

The cheeseboard provided highlights for
those lovers of strong tastes, although the
full variety of tastes and textures were on
offer, from cow- goat- and sheep’s milk.

The deserts ranged from highly complex,
rich and multi component based choices,
such as the plate of Valrhona chocolate
puddings, to the more simple but elegant
alternatives such as custard tart with
nutmeg ice cream. The star choice was an
exotic fruit trifle. Lacking the heaviness of
the traditional English version, it excited the
eyes and the taste buds. Amaretto biscuits,
Malibu liquer, fresh mango, pineapple,
guava fruit salad was clouded by an
ethereal passion fruit mousse of great
intensity but perfect lightness. The
accompanying deep fried coconut milk
beignets, mimicking fresh coconuts,
provided a perfect contrast of taste, texture
and temperature. The thinking behind this
dish combined old and new worlds, with an
appropriate fusion of ingredients and
techniques.

Cooking of this quality, and service of such
professionalism, has not as yet qualified
for a Michelin Star. The three knives and
forks rating, which represent comfort and
welcome significantly under values the
performance of La Trompette.. Short of
blowing its own trumpet, its many regular
diners and admirers should blast its virtues
to the heights.

A Master Restaurateur
by Simon Carter, Co-Editor

Nigel Platts-Martin enjoyed a
distinguished career in law (Freshfields)
and corporate finance (Warburgs)
before moving into the restaurant
business a dozen years ago. The
Michelin Two Star Square restaurant, co-
owned with chef Phillip Howard, is
perhaps the jewel in the crown.

Meanwhile, with business partner and
chef Bruce Poole, he owns Chez Bruce,
The Glasshouse and La Trompette; all
immensely popular goldmines,
delivering Michelin One Star standard
cooking to two full sittings every evening
service.

It is perhaps sad that La Trompette is
the only one of the family to not formally
receive the nod from Michelin for its
achievements. Nevertheless all four
restaurants would comfortably appear in
the 2005 London Top 60 Restaurants
within the 1% Club were the
Glasshouse in Kew considered ‘London’
by the Guides.

So it is easy to see why Mr Platts-Martin
is laden with industry awards
acclaiming his ‘restaurateurism’.

Hirings are clearly astute and promotion
is encouraged from within. Ollie
Couillaud is in the process of moving to
The Dorchester. Since March 2001 and
the opening of La Trompette, Ollie has
been a fixture as Head Chef, gaining
Which? Good Food Guide London
Newcomer of The Year recognition for
the restaurant in their first year. Ollie
had previously spent time under the
tutorage of Bruce Poole at Chez Bruce,
an experience shared by his soon to be
successor -James Bennington.

This sense of family extends to the front-
of-house where Romain Vrinat is
restaurant manager; Romain spent five
years as a maitre d’ at The Square. The
Head Sommelier - Matthieu Longuere -
joined the team from Hotel du Vin
(Bristol) in 2002 and has rapidly
become bedecked with awards
including AA Guide, Tio Pepe Carlton
and TW Wines recognition.

Since the early days, the food has
moved on from rustic and earthy to
significantly more refined. Prices
remain very generous at £32.50 for three
courses for dinner (I can’t remember a
price increase), while at the same time
the restaurant appears to be doing the
opposite of cutting corners on portion
control.

On this occasion (I must have visited a
dozen times over four years) I started
with six warm oysters topped with sauce
mousseline and caviar. Sauce
mousseline is effectively Hollandaise
lightened by whipped egg whites or
cream. There was no ‘crunch for
contrast’ or any spinach – just simple
but effective, just what I wanted.

The main course was equally straight
forward – cote de boeuf with sauce
béarnaise and chips. The cote de boeuf
comes from the rib of the animal as
opposed to Chateaubriand which is a
fillet (the latter named after the 19th
century French author and statesman
Francois Chateaubriand); I mention this
as both may be served in similar
fashion. A generous custard tart for
pudding was enjoyed after a
cheesboard of impressive variety albeit
mixed ripeness.

Service was charming, professional and
efficient throughout and added to the
undoubted buzz of happy smart casual
dining in the suburbs.

It will be fascinating to experience the
impact of James Bennington; there is
little to choose in style or execution
between Chez Bruce and La Trompette
– will we see an individual signature?
The key perhaps to even more success
for the Nigel Platts-Martin empire.