Terroirs

A good review is great for a new restaurant, but sometimes sucks for the locals! Living just 20minutes from Covent Garden, I am often in central London and love to dip into and try new restaurants. I use reviews to give me a feel for the place and the type of food on offer (and whether I will be able to eat much on the menu). However in this instance - when a restaurant such as Terroirs on the Strand recieves such rave reviews and the critics loudly sing in chorus the praise for French tapas and "natural" wines - I couldn't book a table. Even in the credit crunch?

Attempting the bar menu / chance table approach on Thursday night with my good friend Mrs Burger, we managed to get a spot by the bar for a glass of their natural French red wines, but no food.

Fast forward to Saturday lunch time in Covent Garden and looking for a late lunch venue after rejecting the idea of a 40minute wait at Wahaca (!), I took a punt on Terriors again. A perfect late lunch venue, there was space at the bar which we snapped up - as I was eager to try this place before my departure for the Indian Sub-Continent.

Phew - we were in.

The menu is dotted with a broad range of Gallic inspired dishes - piperade basquise, clams with aioli, a stunning French charcuterie range, duck scratchings (?) of which we chose 4 small plates. A succinct puds selection featuring the first rhubarb of the season on a panna cota which was perfectly wobbly.

With a terribly relaxed service, to the point where the chef took our order... we were relaxed enough not to be too annoyed, and happy to have had a chance to experience the hype.

Shame I am leaving the country, but hopefully it rise above the credit crisis until my return.