It’s a classic early summer evening in London. A buzz in the air and a last of the sun’s glow hitting the beautiful buildings on my short walk-through Belgravia to one of its oldest and well-established restaurants, the excellent La Poule Au Pot.
Upon entering you can tell the décor hasn’t been touched since the 60’s, the elegant, Parisian touches make for a very cosy first impression.
Service is excellent
Wait staff are casual and friendly and it wasn’t long before I was tucking into fine French bread and a butter so salty it made me salivate in anticipation for my mains. The atmosphere was calm, chic and very relaxed as we dived into our starters, scallops draped in garlic butter had me making delighted eyes at my dinner companion and with a foie gras pate that was wonderfully paired with tart marmalade, things were off to a fantastic start.
We got chatting at the table next to us, a couple who were out celebrating a landmark birthday, it seems this is the place to come when there is an all-important date in the calendar.
Moving onto the mains, I opted for the fillet steak and my partner went for the house special ‘Le Poule au Pot’ also known as ‘Chicken in a pot’. The chicken fell off the bones, fresh from the farm it was bursting with excellent flavour, even the boiled potatoes packed a punch.
My steak was perfectly cooked and dangerously tasty paired with a tangy peppercorn sauce. We continued with eyes and faces across the table in sheer admiration for the excellent chef and the source of ingredients.
After the hours seeped away, we decided to order desserts. I’m not usually one for a bit of sugar but judging by the first two courses, I was very excited to see what treats came to follow. We attacked each other’s deserts like a duel, a chocolate mousse and a crème brulé were consumed in seconds much to the surprise of our waiter.
This classic French restaurant has the finesse of a Michelin star with the wholesomeness of a family-run business. I’m already inspecting the calendar for another date to go.
La Poule Au Pot
231 Ebury Street
London
SW1W 8UT
United Kingdom
