8 H&H Series, Thursday September 25, 2014

wine Liz Sagues restaurant of the week Joseph Connolly at L’Escargot Bouquets to their door character Virgin Wines’ new delivery service comes with the personal touch with a charming

ere’s a pretty ambitious aim: to become the French accent Interflora of the wine gift delivery market. The company which has thatH in its sights is Virgin Wines, which almost a year ago shook Joseph dines on Gallic cuisine in handsome itself free from giant web and mail seller Direct Wines. surroundings and with some genial company Efforts already by boss Jay Wright and his colleagues in the management buyout have prompted soaring sales – July’s figures were the best the company hould I ever come Other cafes: Patisserie Valerie ■ A chance to try before you buy: Virgin customers at a tasting has ever seen. But they want to do to write a memoir (known to all as Val’s) when it was more, hence Wright’s assertion selections). Among reds, The Calligrapher (can you wait?) there unique and magnificent, and not as in the trade press that there’s a As I write, there are tickets 2013 (£12, shiraz, mourvédre, would have to be a now merely one of an indifferent “huge opportunity” to become the left for the national tasting on grenache) is a happy-drinking chapter entitled The and ubiquitous chain: Maison name everyone thinks of when October 18 at the Waldorf Hilton, Western Cape offering without Soho Years – these to roughly Bertaux is far better, and continues it’s the moment to send a bottle. Aldwych (£25, refunded if you any of the burnt rubber character Sspan the decade 1993 – 2003. Not to thrive. I never much went The new Gifts by VW range order at least 12 bottles on the which for me spoils too many that Soho was unknown to me to the Coach & Horses, fiefdom is being launched next month, day). The previous evening’s South African reds. And De before – and certainly I’ve been of Norman Balon, legendarily and will grow as time goes on. tasting (£15) is sold out, but call Martino Emigma 1 Reserva 2010 acquainted with it since – but ‘rudest landlord in London’ – but It’s aimed at consumers, though Virgin (0843 224 1001) or check on (£16) is a smart, serious Chilean during this period I was, it is fair I met him a bit in Gerry’s, and he later business-to-business sales www.virginwines.co.uk in case blend of cabernets sauvignon and to say, an habitué … though not, actually struck me as unusually will feature too. What’s likely things have changed. Or if you franc plus syrah, its French oak I hope, a ‘character’. There is well-mannered. Then there were to be a particular selling point prefer a tasting at home, Virgin smoothly integrated now. never a shortage of people in this the restaurants: L’Epicure, with is the chance for customers to can offer that, too. These wines are at the top end miraculous little enclave (mostly its blazing gas street lamps, personalise bottles, labels or gift of Virgin Wines’ core price range, men, though not exclusively) Wheeler’s in Old Compton Street packs. The wines where there’s plenty to tempt anxious to be seen as a ‘Soho (one of the few there that had not “We’re basically looking What of the wines? I’ve tasted at under £10. The range is due character’. Bacon was one. The been colonised, if that’s the word forward to giving anyone in the some good stuff recently, notably to expand, with more offerings ghastly Jeffrey Bernard another. I seek, by the homosexualistical UK the opportunity to order a the pure xarel-lo (one of the below £8 and up into the three- Dan Farson. Ian Board. I could go community). In Greek Street there beautifully packaged wine or important grapes of cava) figure fine wine echelon. on – but the common denominator was the Gay Hussar (no relation champagne gift knowing that Alemany i Corrio 78 2012, Penedès It’s a difficult decision, deciding was ‘drunk’. And loud. And to the above) still today just about it will be delivered the next day (£13) – an altogether intriguing which direct-delivery wine abusive. Soho, fortunately, is a hanging on by the skin of its teeth with a personalised gift message still wine, smelling subtly of company to choose. Do you go hugely forgiving place: come … and L’Escargot. Opened in 1927, by a business that are already herbs, steely-dry but with nutty for one of the many which offer the dawn, all is expunged by the with claims to be London’s oldest experts at sending wine direct to and herbal elements and a dry pre-mixed cases, often on regular growing sun, rinsed away by French restaurant, L’Escargot the consumer,” Virgin’s head of tropical-fruit edge. Unusual, occasions throughout the year? the dew, and annihilated by the is one of those restaurants that events, Jessica Parker, told me. too, is Château de Lancyre La Do you prefer to make a personal . No one bears a grudge, people will tell you they used to go And talking of events: Virgin Rouviére 2013 (£15), a rare Pic choice? What are the merits of no one points the accusing finger to all the time, but can’t remember Wines continues to be keen to St Loup white from the Coteaux big names against smaller, niche … this very largely due to the fact when last they did (rather like let its customers taste the wines du Languedoc, which blends set-ups? that no one remembers a single Simpson’s). I was there quite a it offers before they buy them classic Rhône grapes rousanne, My feeling is that if you have a bloody thing about it. lot when it was owned by Jimmy (though there is, as with many marsanne and viognier to fresh, good idea of the kinds of wines So where did I frequent Lahoud, who later formed some mail order/web companies, slightly spiced-peaches effect – you like you should go for one …? Groucho, mainly – then sort of partnership with Marco a “return if you don’t like it” I’ve climbed the Pic St Loup, and offering customised buying – and Gerry’s Club, the French House, Pierre White (never, seemingly, an option, plus the chance to change a glass of this would have been a take advantage of any tasting occasionally the Bar Italia in the altogether sensible thing to do) and bottles in the regular wine club fine reward. opportunity offered. wee small hours of the morning. now, just this year, it has a brand

Find something that is right up your street Log on now or call us on 0845 6714460 Thursday September 25, 2014, H&H Series 9 restaurant of the week Joseph Connolly at L’Escargot

originally hails from Donegal – The veal was very good: crispy coincidentally, the very same town crumbing, tender meat. My where my daughter currently chicken came in the form of a resides. Moreover, John’s mother spatchcocked poussin: sweet and was a Connolly, her mother having yielding. Jerseys and beans fine … married someone called Joseph and I sent back the horrible flabby Connolly. This was, I insist, before pale yellow frites. A replacement my time – so I am not, in fact, arrived quickly: they were horrible John’s grandfather: we are just flabby pale yellow frites. John, he good friends. There is a prix fixe was telling me, had found Ireland of £17.50 for two courses, £19.50 far too confining as a young for three, and an inviting carte of man, so came to London and sold French classics – though not to knitwear in Selfridges. He didn’t the degree of the wonderful Mon remain in the realm of pullovers: Plaisir, say. John was having nine very recently, he sold what had ‘snails extraordinaire’ (the house become Britain’s largest dental specialty, suitably enough) and I insurance company. His girlfriend went for lobster and avocado salad. in those early days attended St The snails – traditionally served in Godric’s College in Arkwright the shell with garlic sauce – were Road … and more than forty years much enjoyed. My salad was pretty on, she is still his wife. Pudding: an good: creamy avocado, equally all right raspberry tart for John, creamy dressing on the endive, the and profiteroles for me: these were reasonably generous lobster rather a little chewy, and set around a pot too cold. John is kind enough of chocolate. All wrong: you can’t to invite me to Lord’s from time dunk a profiterole – it has to be to time, so we lunch a lot in the obscenely plastered with the stuff. sainted Oslo Court, where they Then Polly the photographer give you a whole lobster … but arrived, and although I had cleared that’s another story. this with the front of house, Brian Clivaz swung his considerable Potatoes form into action: he told her quite Then a booming voice from the curtly to stop. Dachshunds are corner: there, large as life (rather fine, apparently, but photos are not. larger, actually) was the guvnor, Well – as you see, Polly managed to Brian Clivaz, reading out to his get a good shot, despite Mr Clivaz guests a rather rotten review of having been very abrupt and his restaurant which he seemed to preposterously authoritarian. Oh think had been written by Grace dear: I do hope he isn’t angling to Dent for ES, but was in fact by become a ‘Soho character’ … ’s Tanya Gold. He found it hugely amusing, which ■ Joseph Connolly’s The A-Z of is interesting in itself. For mains, Eating Out is published by Thames John was having escalope of veal & Hudson. All previous restaurant with lemon, and I ordered grilled reviews may be viewed on the organic chicken. We were sharing website www.josephconnolly.co.uk. ■ Joseph Connolly with guest John Arthur Pictures: Polly Hancock sides of French beans, frites and new owner who has instituted a animals as Edward Heath and run the Dover Street Arts Club. new potatoes. “I love potatoes,” complete revamp: so time to go John Major. In my day, the main He bought Langan’s recently – said John. “I could actually eat FACTFILE calling, I thought. eating action used to take place and now L’Escargot, together a whole meal of nothing but ■ L’ESCARGOT The building is as beautiful as at the back, but now it’s the other with Laurence Isaacson (the man potatoes”. You can take the man 48 Greek Street, W1 ever – a mid-Georgian terrace way round. Bar still handsome, behind the initially great and out of Ireland, but … well: you Tel: 020 7439 7474 house proudly flying the Tricolor, décor good – maroon and black latterly lamentable Chez Gerard know. Apart from the proprietor ■ Open Mon-Sat 11am-12pm. with its vertical neon sign in the panels with mirrors and potted chain). and his bevy of sycophantic Sun 11am-6pm. same red, white and blue. There is palms (a little reminiscent of My guest was John Arthur, a acolytes, only one other table was ■ Food: ★★★★★★★✩✩✩ a jaunty mosaic escargot on the Biba, actually). There is a new very genial fellow who – although taken – seven women, none of ■ Service: ★★★★★★★✩✩✩ step – and there used to a golden (yet another) private members’ a recently retired businessman whose hair was actually hair- ■ The Feeling: ★★★★★★★✩✩✩ one dangling from somewhere, but club upstairs – which I would say – used to own the late lamented coloured. All having a great time … ■ Cost: Prix fixe £17.50 for not any longer. The entry hall is doesn’t stand a chance in hell, Scribes, a splendid bar and one of them nursing a dachshund – two courses, £19.50 for three. still cosy and inviting, lined with but this new owner, Brian Clivaz, restaurant off Fleet Street: and that was apparently okay, even Otherwise, about £120 for three pictures of patrons past, including has impressive form with clubs, happy days …! Although a long- to the waitress stroking the thing: courses for two people with drink. such hellraisers and wild party having founded Home House and time resident of Dulwich, John but it’s not okay, actually.

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