La Trompette

La Trompette was opened in 2001, located in the busy Devonshire Road, just off the Chiswick High Road. At this latest lunch three courses were priced at £65 (it is £85 at dinner). The meal started with very good sourdough bread. 

My starter was tuna sashimi, yuzu and white soy, avocado, toasted sesame, coriander, ginger and chilli. This is quite a simple dish but the balance was spot on, there being just enough acidity from the yuzu dressing to cut through the richness of the tuna and avocado. The gentle hint of spices nicely lifted the dish (15/20). Wild mushroom arancini used trompette de la mort mushrooms and also contained sage, and came with a white onion veloute. This worked very well, the sage not too strong, the outside of the arancini being crisp (15/20).

Pork cheek blanquette and roast loin came with Charlotte potatoes, runner beans, mustard and crackling. This was very enjoyable, the crackling given a pleasing extra texture, the pork having good flavour, the potatoes being carefully cooked. The touch of mustard complemented the richness of the pork flavour very well (15/20). 

Mango and lychee sorbet was a simple dessert but was well executed, the flavours coming through well and the textures of the sorbets being just right (14/20). There were also more elaborate offerings such as chocolate and hazelnut millefeuille as well as banana souffle, which went down well with the other diners at our table.

Coffee was from Capital Coffee Capital, based in Windsor, and this was very ordinary, to be honest. There are so many good speciality coffee providers in London, so why not just go with one of these? Service was excellent, and the bill came to £130 each with a fairly modest amount of wine at this lunch service. La Trompette has prospered for 24 years because it follows a simple formula that seems to elude a lot of restaurants: produce an appealing menu and execute it consistently, and have a fairly priced wine list and friendly waiting staff. The restaurant was busy, as always. 

Further reviews: 30th Jan 2025 | 13th Oct 2024 | 17th Jul 2024 | 25th Feb 2023 | 20th Sep 2022 | 03rd Jul 2021 | 24th Nov 2019 | 15th Oct 2018 | 08th Sep 2017 | 05th Jan 2017 | 11th Jul 2013 | 13th Dec 2012