L'Autre Pied Restaurant

L'Autre Pied is comfortably located in the heart of Fitrovia, handy for both business and private customers, with a décor that calms and inspires. That only leaves confidence, at which point one introduces Head Chef Marcus Eaves, a man who was brought up in the farming communities of the Midlands where he acquired an innate respect for the source of things, developing a passion for local produce and the guiding passage of the seasons.

Later, working with some of the legendary names in great cooking he honed his skills until in 2004 he won the Gordon Ramsay Scholar Award and became Midlands Young Chef of the Year. When in November 2007 L'Autre Pied opened, Marcus was winkled out of sister-restaurant Pied de Terre and took over to much acclaim. This has now been recognised by the Guide Michelin with the Award of one star in 2009.

The du jour menu doubles up as a pre theatre opportunity with two or three courses. A typical meal would start with braised oxtail beignets, served with carrot purée and shaved fennel salad. Follow with pithivier of game, Savoy cabbage, celeriac purée, puy lentils and red wine sauce, before a warm custard of Valrhona chocolate with passion fruit ice cream.

The essentially à la carte menu carries six choices in each course, each one following the uncluttered and precise format that is the basis of all Marcus's cooking. A starter could come as a soft poached hen egg with Charlotte potatoes and mussel chowder. The mosaic of rabbit and smoked eel is unbelievably smooth and an exact match for each other and a salad of young winter vegetables, pine nut and tarragon dressing has an earthiness about it that is appealing.

For main courses you would need a great deal of persuasion away from the slow cooked rump of veal, with creamed broccoli, button mushroom duxelle and smoked Hollandaise. However, pan-fried pollock is always a temptation too many, so there might have to be some sort of accommodation there. The poached and roasted breast of pigeon makes an appearance and so does a Cornish sea bream with watercress, choucroute and hazelnut emulsion.

Marcus has done his spell as a sous chef so is well able to keep a kindly eye on his own. For delicate flavour the nutmeg pannacotta and black forest millefeuille takes some beating, but if any dish can accomplish that it is probably the apple and pistachio crumble, with rhubarb sorbet and cardamom ice cream, a real gap-filler that does not sit heavily within.

And talking of sitting comfortably, surely the essence of any wine list is that it can accommodate the talents and aspirations of those at the stoves. The list at L'Autre Pied offers a fair selection with a commendably wide range by the glass.

Service is smooth and unimpeded by aimless comment or humour.

For menu changes, additions to the wine list and other considerations, a quick click on their Website will prove clear and informative.