Fine Wines & Fabulous Food At Emile's

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A three course dinner for £32 equals a happy palate & wallet

Andrew - Head Chef and Emil have worked together for over 33 years together they opened 'Emile's' in 1987 on the Wandsworth Bridge Road and then moving to Putney in 1990.

The menu changes monthly and in addition to his usual wine list Emil has a Fine Wine's list which offers a smaller selection of wines where he manages to keep the margins low to ensure that they are still at a price diners can enjoy them!

Last week we decided to try a few of the fine wines with our three course meal - using the excuse of sunshine to justify going a little wild!

We started with a refreshing half bottle of Macon Uchizy 2013 from Domaine Talmard, Mâconnais, Burgundy (£12) from the regular wine list - a change from G&T before the meal & easily drunk without food.

I opted for the refreshing pulled confit duck leg with hoi sin, watermelon & cashew nut salad. The home made hoi sin sauce tops anything you get from a bottle in the supermarket giving you the flavours of peking duck without the pancake, the duck is both crispy and moist within the dish, plus the added textures and colours of the watermelon and cashew nuts.

The other half started with grilled haggis topped with wild mushrooms with soft poached duck egg, with a red wine & white truffle oil jus. The rich texture of the haggis was made even more sumptuous by the addition of a perfectly cooked runny poached duck egg on top. And what's not to like when you have the extra flavour of wild mushrooms and white truffle oil.

I went for game for my main course - the seared medallions of venison were tender and well hung but not walking of the plate! Served with roasted chantenay carrots & parsnips with crushed potatoes and steamed spinach served with a rich redcurrant jus. My companion ordered the roasted fillet of Gloucester Old Spot pork (pictured right) served sliced with jerusalem artichoke, mange tout & wild garlic leaves served in a grain mustard sauce which set off the natural dryness of the pork. Who says you can't teach an old dog new tricks? He has always described artichokes as the devil's vegetable and had not noticed they we in the dish - miracles happen thanks to Emil & Andrew - he loved them!

We enjoyed a bottle of Château Clos René 2007 Pomerol, which was a real treat and very good value when compared with the price one would have to pay for the bottle even in a shop. It is a light red wine which went well with the lighter pork dish and yet matched the rich venison perfectly. Wines on the Fine Wine menu range from £29 to £55 (excluding champagne) whereas on the regular wine list prices start at £17 and the top price is £36.50 (excluding champagnes).

rhubarb syllabub & sorbet

Desserts beckoned - something I usually avoid but that night I just couldn't say no - I opted for the rhubarb syllabub served in a glass jar - reminiscent of the old school glass yogurt jars of the 70's topped with a crunchy crumble & muesli topping and a small scoop of gorgeous rhubarb sorbet. Across the table arrived the dark chocolate pot topped with a white chocolate mousse, as well as the decoration there was preserved ginger hidden in the dark chocolate pot -divine and apparently not enough to share!!!

We were then joined by a close friend and the three of us managed to share a bottle of Priorat 2012 from Southern Catalunya in Spain - again off the Fine Wine menu and very enjoyable. The menu changed today as we enter June so I am sorry if some of the above is not available but I am sure what replaces the dishes will not disappoint!

Sandi Bloomfield

June 4, 2015