Plateau

Plateau
4th Floor, Canada Place
London
E14 5ER

02077157100

Canary Wharf – already impressive in so many ways – now can add ‘fantastic French restaurant’ to it’s repertoire. Emerging from the station it was a little difficult to track down Plateau at first, but find it we did, perched high on the 4th floor resulting in a rather impressive view from the table. Immaculately dressed hostesses greeted us as we stepped off the lift, quickly finding the reservation on an iPad and taking our coats. The poker chip coat check tag was a nice touch, and we were led to a table in the bar area for an aperitif before the main event. The bar was buzzing with young professionals relaxing with post-work drinks, and the surroundings were elegant and comfortable. Juicy olives and a selection of nuts accompanied our cocktails – the traditional Old Fashioned we’re so fond of, and a fresh grapefruit and rhubarb gin cocktail called the Berkeley Club were our choices. The selection is vast and it took us several minutes to make a final decision, with some interesting subsections including beer cocktails for the more adventurous types.

After finishing up the drinks we were brought to our table, the ever-friendly host pulling out the chair for the lady (much appreciated) and each of our waiting staff introducing themselves. Yes, there were more than one! After a quick run down of the menu, the sommelier approached to see how we would like to be served – choosing a bottle ourselves, allowing her to choose one on our behalf, or to give her full license to match each of our dishes to the perfect wine. Of course we left it to the expert, and she came back once we had decided on the meal to give her opinion. Our waiter was friendly and knowledgable, answering all our questions with a smile. Despite an extremely tempting range, we both had to go for the scallops as a starter, and Angus beef main. I should point out that there are some wonderful set menu options for fantastic prices, which for slightly more can be wine matched – keep your eye out for them.

While we decided, slabs of homemade bread kept us occupied, so fresh and tasty there was a real danger of ruining our appetite. Luckily, we managed to refuse a third slice and concentrate on the amazing food. The seared scallops were delicious, served with sea vegetables and Avruga caviar with a lemongrass emulsion, and a foamy accent that gave a hint of smokiness to the dish. The tender steak was of course cooked perfectly, served with both plump snails and a snail persillade, and thick roasted garlic bulbs. On the side we fancied some sprouting broccoli with chilli and anchovy butter and of course, French fries. It goes without saying that the Spanish white and the Bordeaux went splendidly with the courses, we were impressed – but not at all surprised!

Dessert was a trio of home made ice creams, deliciously creamy and smooth, and a selection of French cheeses with biscuits and chutneys. The leaf-wrapped camembert was a favourite, and there was very little left on the plate. Port went down a treat alongside the cheeses.

Overall, Plateau was an absolute treat, especially if you’re looking for somewhere special for an occasion. Do bear in mind the wonderful tasting menus for a pared-down selection of their impressive skills, and if possible make friends with the sommelier – she’s an absolute gem.