Soho Nights: Domaine Pichard at L’Escargot
Wednesday night found us in Soho’s Grande dame, L’Escargot, where the room brimmed with elegant, weather-defying guests (think sunshine, thunder, umbrellas, and still immaculate hair). Glasses of Domaine Pichard flowed, conversation sparkled, and the bar team was a study in unflappable chic. Between salmon “snails” and perfectly bite-sized croque monsieur, the evening reminded us why September in London, with unpredictable skies and all, can feel like the very best season of all.
Our merry crew barely blinked at the meteorological theatrics (only three last-minute cancellations, bravo, troopers). Inside, the Snail Bar’s skylit ceilings glowed against the stormy sky, while sixty or so guests filled the room with the kind of easy, lively chatter that makes introductions effortless and the evening stretch long after you meant to leave. Behind the bar, Feban was unflappable, Ferdi kept the whole show humming, and Stanley (mixologist, magician, miracle-worker) dropped in to lend his alchemy. Even Mr Brian Clivaz himself swept by to say hello, which added just the right touch of stardust.
The night’s vinous star was Domaine Pichard, presented by our friend Eva Akerholm, known to some of you from our lockdown wellness podcasts. (Wellness, it turns out, is perfectly compatible with very good wine.) We sipped both white and red: organic, elegant, and the kind of wines that make conversation lift a few notches. As for the food, it was French comfort with a playful wink: “snails” of smoked salmon and cream cheese (our only mollusc nod), golden cheese straws, excellent nuts, sausage rolls, and cocktail sausages. To keep us vertical, there were miniature croque monsieurs, the melt-in-your-mouth sort that vanish in two bites and leave you plotting your next one. The combination, lively guests, generous wine, impeccable staff, and a room that feels equal parts glamorous and conspiratorial made for an evening that was, in a word, sparkling. Our huge thanks to Domaine Pichard for the wine, to the L’Escargot team for their seamless care, and to all of you for bringing the sunshine inside, umbrellas and all. Here’s to the season ahead, may it be as full, fizzing, and delicious as last Wednesday night.
