Tried & Tasted: La Dame de Pic

From the moment you step into the recently opened Four Seasons Hotel at Ten Trinity Square, you know you’re in for something special. As if the grand façade of the Grade II*-listed former Port of London Authority building wasn’t enough to impress, the elegant Rotunda bar that welcomes you inside is sure to please. To the side of this marvellous entrance is La Dame de Pic, Michelin-starred Chef Anne-Sophie Pic’s first venture into the UK.

Best known for being the only female chef to hold three Michelin stars in France for her restaurant Maison Pic in the southeast, Pic has thankfully decided to bring her talents to London, and what a setting Four Seasons has developed for her. It’s simple, yet elegant, with mirrored pillars throughout comfy booth seating and an impressively intricate white cut-out chandelier dominating the centre of the space.

The backdrop certainly suits the menu Pic has created – her signature style of cooking with unusual ingredients is put to excellent use with a few key choices for each part of the meal. My starter of Scottish langoustines goes surprisingly well with a heirloom carrot bouillon infused with pine tree buds and geranium, while my plus-one’s scallops marinated in black cardamom and jasmine with apple granité looks more like an artist’s interpretation of Connect Four yet tastes divine.

For mains, my eyes are immediately drawn to the Challans chicken, which is marinated in Saké and served with cabbage, razor clams and a lemony sauce. It disappears with no remorse. My companion goes for the organic Welsh lamb marinated in Chartreuse with orange blossom artichoke; his is gone with equal speed, as it’s all simply too tasty.

My dining partner has done his research and eagerly orders the famed white mille-feuille, a supreme layering of delicate pastry and jasmine jelly encased in Tahitian vanilla ice cream with Voatsiperifery pepper foam. Meanwhile, I’m completely smitten by the Kalingo chocolate creation, which resembles a miniature garden with its topping of cocoa nibs and aromatic herbs and is the perfect end to a superb meal.

If you’re in need of something unique to impress your boss, add La Dame de Pic to your list. You really can’t go wrong.