For those who can’t or don’t want to get on a plane and head to Nice at present, Nice can come to you. Since its opening in 2007, La Petite Maison has been doing just one thing: serving consistently good Mediterranean food. Neither the credit crisis nor COVID has stopped it in its tracks. Indeed, the ‘brand’ has gone from strength to strength with the London offshoot of the Nice original now followed by brethren from Miami to Dubai and beyond. In some ways, of course, it’s still like being in 2007 dining here. The venue’s guests (your reviewer, of course, excluded) typically comprise the well-heeled Eurotrash variety who are not afraid of opening their wallets. You won’t eat cheaply here, but you will undoubtedly eat well. Just how does La Petite Maison do it? Although not privy to the kitchen’s trade secrets, the use of only the freshest ingredients and the fact that each dish comes to the table as soon as it is ready, help explain the venue’s winning formula.
As London is emerging from lockdown, my comrade and I were to delighted to revisit La Petite Maison for a recent celebratory mid-week lunch. It pays to book early, not just since an outdoor table in the sun is a prized commodity at the venue, but also given that the restaurant was actually having to turn away guests who had turned up on spec. If sun and people-watching aren’t your thing, then inside diners can enjoy the sedate Mediterranean colours and linen table clothes. Before even the menus arrive, a fresh tomato, lemon and bottle of olive oil adorn each table. The red-yellow mix is an aesthetic boon and a homage to the venue’s roots. It’s then up to the guests to dig in. Lockdown hasn’t helped, but I struggle to remember when I last had a tomato this pungent and fresh. Onto the menu, and the formula remains unashamedly unchanged in the new normal world of COVID. Dishes are intended for sharing, so you had better trust your dining comrade!
We opted for three starters and two mains between us. Each was superlative. Stand-out among the initial trio was the yellowtail carpaccio. Five stars for freshness, flavour intensity and melt-in-the-mouth softness. Oh, and as the picture shows, the presentation rocked too. Be prepared though to stump up something in the region of £25 for the privilege. In terms of the mains, while I am not normally a fan of duck, without fail, I will seek to order the slowed roasted duck legs with orange glaze every time I visit this venue. It is just superb; every mouthful a sensation of decadent delight. Wash it all down with a bottle of rosé (there are some bargains on the extensive wine list) and you have one very happy reviewer. La Petite Maison should be on everyone’s London restaurant bucket list.