La Trompette, Chiswick
La Trompette, Chiswick.
Quiet times for blogging at the moment. My (neurologically based) illness does not react well to the intense heat we’re currently enduring enjoying.. However, I’m breaking my self-imposed silence to register my recent visit to La Trompette – a longstanding, well-regarded, reasonably local to me, restaurant in Chiswick.
We’ve been before, me and D, soon after La Trompette opened, in 2001, but were not hugely impressed, remembering it as dark, cramped, horribly busy and not memorable for food unlike Chez Bruce – same management team – which, when I worked in South London, we used to love (right back from when it was Harvey’s with a very young Marco Pierre White in the kitchen).
Anyway, after that off-putting initial visit, we’ve not been back to La Trompette despite their 2013 makeover, a rising tide of friends saying that we must go and noting that a chef trained by Phil Howard, of Elystan Street (my favourite restaurant of the past eighteen months) is now at the helm – Rob Weston being said chef.
Last week, that all changed. Deciding La Trompette is too local to ignore and feeling slightly ridiculous to keep harking on about one poor visit seventeen years ago, we re-trod the Chiswick pavement or, in my case, re-wheeled it.
And, really, what fools we’ve been to have such goodness so close by and ignored it. *Slaps self around the head*.
Basics first, La Trompette is ridiculously wheelchair accessible.
We parked, on single yellows, at the end of the road where I wheeled out of the car, along a nice wide, excellent quality pavement, straight into the restaurant – alongside the greenery in the image below. Turning left into the completely level entrance at the end, we were directed immediately left to a corner table looking out of the windows – see the first image below.
Nice.
Not a great view but it’s a pleasant quiet London side street not the busy main drag. On a close, warm night, the doors were open and the overhead canopy was sturdy enough to protect outside diners from the rain of a surprise flash storm. Bet they were relieved and we were happy in our relatively cool, comfortably spacious corner spot.
In contradiction to our memories, the dining room was, overall, decently spacious, despite being busy; noise levels no longer cacophonous. The 2013 makeover has done miracles with the lighting so no feeling of cramped, dark and dingy remains, thankfully.
More of the happy from looking at the menu. Lots of yummy things.
Celebrating a birthday, we hit the tasting menu, hoping for lots of small tasty deliciousness. And, yay, we got it.
Typically for me, I most remember the desserts, one of which, a gooseberry soufflé, was surprisingly scrumptious (as I actually don’t like gooseberries). A crunchy Asian influenced gilt head of bream, scallops, linguini, more fish, more fun. Decent coffee. Friendly staff. Fabulous.
We rolled out, replete, intending to return soon, probably with some of those friends who kept saying, “You must go.”
They were right. Wheeling’s easy. Check it out.
PS Fiona Jarvis of Blue Badge Style says they have a great accessible loo too. I plan to never use it but good to know.
La Trompette, Chiswick: Interior.
La Trompette, Chiswick.
Stiletto Wheels 
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