Tucked away discreetly to the side of Hoxton Square is London’s most precious hideaway for heart-warming French cuisine – Petit Pois Bistro…
Petit Pois Bistro, which opened in June, is the latest brainchild from the gents who brought you Happiness Forgets and Original Sin – two of London’s most celebrated cocktail bars. The delightful eatery is quaint, cosy and intimate, oozing authentic French charm.
An ideal luncheonette, the restaurant has just launched its new Sunday offering: The Sharing Pie. We were lucky enough to be invited to try this hearty addition to the menu.
A play on the classic Beef Bourguignon, this delicious dish is perfect for a romantic meal for two or a lazy afternoon with friend, with one central pie serving up to eight people. Served with generous helpings of soft, buttery spinach and duck fat roasted potatoes, it’s a mouth-watering course that will stir all the senses. However my favourite side was actually the broccoli prepared with chilli, shallots and garlic – the chilli gave it a real twist.
What makes this meal special is the sheer love that goes into making it: the finest cuts of beef selected from Nathan Mills at the Butchery in Bermondsey are slow cooked in red wine for four hours, allowing it to soak up the flavours of mushrooms, shallots and thyme. A scattering of lardons is added before the pie is topped with a melt-in-the-mouth puff pastry. The Sharing Pie is a richly layered feast for the stomach and eyes.
As if that isn’t enough, included in the price (£25 a head) is the infamous Petit Pois chocolate mousse to round off the meal.
This mousse is just to die for. I mean, seriously, it’s the kind of divine dessert that starts wars and win battles…I swear it was trying to seduce me straight out of the spoon. A whole other kind of French kiss. If I didn’t have such strong faith in the chefs, I’d be convinced they had killed for the recipe. I would. I’m not kidding – more than one of us walked out with left over mousse in their bags…
…Which just about sums up the atmosphere of Petit Pois Bistro. It’s elegant without being pretentious; staff are good-natured and easy-going, yet attentive. They’re also clearly expert cooks (Chris Smith trained at Le Cordon Bleu) but you almost wouldn’t know it because everyone is so unassuming. That’s what really gives the place its charm. You don’t go there expecting fancy trappings, but what you get is the perfect balance between classy and casual, with the chief emphasis entirely on gloriously good food.
We’re truly sold on the Sharing Pie at Petit Pois. With its lashings of legumes, succulent hunks of beef and that orgasmic chocolate mousse, you need look no further for your answer to a rainy Sunday afternoon. It’s the kind of traditional meal that summons images gatherings in the country, amid farmhouse fires, warm woollen slippers and sweet scented wines. In the bleak mid-winter, it’s a meal that hugs you.
The Sharing Pie at Petit Pois Bistro is available every Sunday from 12pm to 9pm. £25pp for 2-8 people, including sides and chocolate mousse. Bookings must be made at least one day in advance.
