London - La Petite Maison
Frank's view 
' a good, but expensive, lunch '
It’s an extraordinary business.
Restaurants in London come and go too fast for the information super highway.
Teca, the Italian which was previously located at 54 Brooks Mews, still has a comprehensive web site, a ghost in its own lunch time.
La Petit Maison, the incumbent, also has a web site, which may confuse Googlites searching by address.
La Petit Maison was packed on the Tuesday lunch time we made an impromptu arrival, managing to secure the last table for two, by the kitchen. This restaurant allegedly targets Mayfair Hedge Fund managers. Certainly, any non Hedge Fund people dining the day we dropped in were happy clients, or the wives thereof.
Besides the nearby Bond Street attire, the absence of a Prix Fixe menu was a further indication of local affluence. The only menu on offer was A La carte with starters at around £12 and mains ranging from £16 to £70.
La Petit Maison is not a cheap option.
This restaurant is the London sibling of the Nice, Cote D’Azur parent. One suspects that the Nice restaurant is a little more worn and faded. La Petit Maison, Mayfair, is too new, slick and pristine.
The covers are crammed in. This camel’s feeling is one more for lunch than an intimate dinner for two.
The theme is ‘Cuisine Nicoise’. Dishes are served to share.
Two large tomatoes and a lemon are on each table when diners are seated. Bread is served (although we had to ask for ours) with olive oil in a drizzler.
We ordered lamb cutlets and monk fish with tomatoes and olives.
The food was very good, although fully priced at £24.
Wine was unusually fairly priced. My Provence red was priced at £7 for a 175ml glass. Upon checking the wine list I noted that a bottle was £32. It is refreshing to see buyers by the glass not being penalised.
La Petit Maison was very good but no bargain. The absence of a Prix Fixe lunch time menu was surprising but the level of business indicated that their judgment is commercially astute.
La Petit Maison
54 Brooks Mews
London W1
020 7495 4774
Be Frank: agree or disagree? What do you think?
