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What is 'following'?Restaurant: French
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Time Out says 2 Users say Rate it
It would be hard to imagine Soho without L'Escargot, and hard to imagine L'Escargot without its contingent of theatrical, media-savvy Soho-ites. It looks as good as ever, with its cut-glass mirrors, statement art by Chagall and Miro, and frankly beautiful art nouveau lighting, but times change - even at a snail's pace - and we found the buzz a little quieter, and the kitchen a little less exciting. Upstairs, the lovely Picasso Room still trades in luxury ingredients and anniversary celebrations, while on the ground floor the more democratic bistro menu results in a livelier crowd of divorce-settlement gossipers and pre-theatre BlackBerry-checkers. We expected more to dazzle us, but it appeared to be running on automatic. At our meal downstairs, the menu was of the season, but not so much of the decade. A terrine of ham hock and foie gras was dry; and smoked salmon paupiette filled with salmon mousse was on the dated side of classic. Crisp-skinned sea bass on crushed potatoes was a treat; but gnocchi with wild mushrooms were little more than fried balls of mashed potato. The service is definitely of the efficient French variety, highly professional but rather aloof.
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L'Escargot details
Follow L'Escargot to receive updates on special offers here.
What is 'following'?020 7439 7474
Credit cards AmEx, DC, MC, V
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See all restaurants near L'EscargotComments & ratings 4/5 (Average of 2 ratings)
I went to this restaurant last night not knowing that a) it was a michelin star restaurant and b) that a celebrity chef owned it. Having just googled the restaurant and discovered this, I am literally shocked as my meal was mediocre at best. Our table ordered the steak, the salmon and the tuna, all of which were over cooked – the fish especially. My cooked spinach may as well not have been on my plate as it didn’t have the least bit of flavor and was seriously in need of a heavy hand of seasoning.
The atmosphere was extremely stuffy and made for an awkward, kind of uncomfortable meal. The staff were attentive, but what I found odd was the rapidity of the meal. We ordered our meals and within less than 10 minutes they were at our table. I can’t believe I am about to complain about this but it was too fast. When at a nice restaurant with a bottle of wine for the table, one would assume that you’d like to enjoy a lengthy stay sipping wine and chatting with friends. Our meals were served after I had taken one sip of wine, and I found myself having to speed drink with the rest of my meal. We were in and out of there in half an hour! Who goes to a fancy restaurant, pays a sizable bill, and doesn’t get to enjoy any time at the restaurant. I take a longer lunch break at prêt.
Would NOT recommend this restaurant. You will have a much better meal going to a typical Italian restaurant or steakhouse for a fraction of the cost.
What is this review about? Who cares if something is 'dated' as the reviewer put it, as long as the food is of sufficient quality for the price. What kind of reviewer is this? L'Escargot does its job incredibly well- it provides good food in a pleasant, affordable environment. It's not going to win Michelin stars- the cooking is of a different kind to the Michelin requisite- but it is a good restaurant all the same. Anyway, Paupiette of salmon isn't dated- it's all the rage in the great classical restaurants of Paris, like Le Train Bleu and Maxim's,at the moment.
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