Restaurants

Although Les Trois Garçons resembles a happy collision between a taxidermist’s (it’s a toss up between the giraffe’s head and the whole swan for the most OTT stuffed item) and an art installation (we particularly love the arrangement of handbags suspended from the ceiling) the owners have also made sure they got all the basics right. Prices are a little overblown – the cheapest starter is soup at £8 and most are well over £10 – but dishes are mostly spot-on. Pumpkin velouté with root vegetable mirepoix and cumin crème fraîche was good, but had been bettered by an amuse bouche of parsnip soup with a dot of vanilla oil. We also liked assiette of Old Spot pork served with braised belly, pork shoulder confit, lentils and cider vinegar jus which followed. The only bargain here is the set menu. From this, salad of chicory and bitter greens with roquefort and toasted hazelnuts was fine but cheese-heavy; better was farmed rainbow trout on braised fennel with caper and olive beurre noisette – crisp and tender in equal measure. Pudding of poached pear with honey and thyme ice-cream had an indifferent pear but wonderful ice-cream. Service matches the decor. A great place for a proper night out, but not to count the pennies.

Time Out Eating & Drinking Guide 2009