A Genuine Belter – L’Etranger: Kensington, Wednesday 16th December, 2009

Before I start this review, I must do two things: wish any readers a happy new year and issue an apology for my frankly scant input to the site over the last few weeks. The festive season proved to be eventful, fun and very time-consuming.

Now, with those out of the way, let me get something off my chest that I’ve been dying to for weeks: L’Etranger is brilliant. Like, seriously great. I didn’t realise at the time, but it’s in the UK’s top 100, it’s been generously acclaimed in various surveys and reviews in recent years, and it’s a real little gem. Gushing out of the way, let me try to justify why I enjoyed this place so much…

It’s a very cute little affair situated on Gloucester Road, as modern as you like and with wonderfully understated decor. We stumbled in fresh out of the first morning's snow of the winter with an understandably keen appetite and cast our eyes over a menu that at first glance was a bit confusing. L'Etranger is a French restaurant with Japanese leanings. It isn't fusion but it does like to cross over when it comes to its food. As such, sifting through the sushi and sashimi menu options to find the a la carte was a minor inconvenience. But what a reward...

We started with some foie gras terrine (if you're going to eat terrine, it should be this one) which was excellent and is below on the left. A lot smoother than many terrines I've tried, it hit the spot just right. I'd eat it again, which says enough. It seems we fancied putting our bodies through the ringer today too, because we combined this with some steak tartare, which is below right.

This was correctly seasoned: only mildly spiced and herbed which meant the beef could flourish and reside precisely as a decent steak tartare should. Sides were extravagant and a little showy, but pleasant enough.

The main course was where L'Etranger stole the year's show though. For this was quite possibly London's finest hour of 2009. At least for me it was. The warm up act was a duck breast and leg combination with some sauce made from kumquat. Whilst at times tart and a little wince-inducing, the sauce was inventive and individual, and the duck was cooked red as should be, and nicely enjoyable. (Below left.)

Now I've extensively debated and speculated on the success of steaks before, but I tasted a little bit of beef heaven at L'Etranger. (Right.) It was one of the best pieces of steak I have ever eaten. Rarely can I remember eating any tenderer piece of meat that was so full of flavour. I wouldn't go as far as to use the 'melt in the mouth' cliché, but that's only because it sounds so hackneyed. Served on a bed of green-ed mash (this was the Japanese part of the dish), I was dumbfounded.

By this point (with my stomach acids working overtime and gagging for a break) I was fairly convinced this was the best meal I'd eat in London for 2009, so I happily wondered what sort of 'Death by Chocolate' I could get at this wonderful eatery. It turned out to be a bloody massive fondant, but to say only that doesn't do it justice, so it's below.

Green tea and passion fruit ice cream served in separate portions with a slice of chocolate on the end..? Well, if you're going to kill me with chocolate, I appreciate the marks for style and form. It was delicious and baffling in equal measure. Mind you, I was so blissfuly hazy by this point after the glory that had preceded it I serenely enjoyed my dessert with a vacant smile on my face. (It was pretty excellent.) A tiramisu with further Japanese touches (lychees chocolate) was decent if unspectacular.

So, despite this meal occasionally venturing into the strange and average, these dalliances were so brief as to not cloud or ruin the meal in any way. It was superb, served by gracious and humble staff in a wonderful setting. Please visit L'Etranger in 2010. You are unlikely to be disappointed.

L'Etranger