21 May 2013

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(menu)

Little Social

5 Pollen Street, London W1S 1NE

£49.00 French Hanover Square, Savile Row

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Square Meal Review of Little Social

It’s directly opposite Pollen Street Social, but Jason Atherton’s new gaff inhabits a very different world indeed. Step through the black door, past the heavy curtain and you’re immediately in a humming Parisian cocoon populated by aproned staff with French accents and big smiles; all around, close-packed rustic wood tables, ox-blood banquettes, map and prints set the mood perfectly as the good times begin. The kitchen shows its bistro colours with prix-fixe lunches of tuna niçoise tartine, roasted gurnard with saffron mash and glazed tarte Tatin comme il faut, but the full menu moves upwards with bowls of spoon-licking cauliflower and crayfish risotto, unctuous braised ox cheek or roast cod with butter beans, spring cabbage and cabbage pesto – intricate, earthy flavours presented with style for big-city palates. To drink, get seduced by the racy French wine list or perch at the bar with a cocktail and imagine you’re on the Boulevard Saint-Michel.

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Little Social
5 Pollen Street, London W1S 1NE
Overall rating:
by Matt P. (31) 14 April 2013
1 of 1 people found this review helpful.
For a moment, my heart sank when I walked into Little Social. The brass rails, the crimson banquettes, the vintage French posters on the walls… I thought I'd entered a Delaunay / Zedel clone with their menus exhaustingly enumerating Euro classics; clubby school dinners joints for the 21st century. I gritted my teeth and picked up the menu, expecting to be confronted with steak tartare and dauphinoise and crème brulee. But they were nowhere to be seen. Despite the postmodern bistro effect, the menu here is decidedly fresh and new.
For starters we shared an exquisite crayfish and cauliflower risotto that was a masterpiece of presentation; you have never seen cauliflower looking this good. A crab and tomato salad was pretty as a picture, but not quite as strong on taste as the risotto. For mains we took the halibut ‘BLT’, the fish garnished with a gorgeous chunk of Alsace bacon, wilted gem lettuce and a tomato sauce; the perfect lunch dish. We also took the cheeseburger which my companion insisted would test the mettle of the kitchen in exactly the same way that the quality of the club sandwich tells you all you need to know about a hotel. It didn’t let us down. None of those dishes was familiar (bar the burger of course) yet they all felt just right for the setting.
And what really makes Little Social a destination is the dessert menu; it must be one of the best I’ve seen anywhere. Every single item on the menu commanded your attention with a flourish of originality and every single one cried out to be ordered. After some horse-trading we chose the brown sugar tart with black sesame crumble and the hot chocolate moelleux with salted almond icecream. Both were of the calibre where you find yourself taking tiny spoonfuls in order to prolong the experience.
Service was first class: confident, proud, charming, smart. The couple next to us had chosen to squeeze in next to each other on the banquette, in a way that screamed “affair!”, and when the maitre d’ had to rearrange their place settings to accommodate this, he made it seem like it was the biggest treat he'd had all week. There’s a small army of staff – I think we may have been served by five different people – but there is evidently teamwork as there was no overlap at all. I can’t give a perfect 10 for service though because it took three emails and two phone calls to confirm my booking.
Prices are at the very top end for this category of restaurant; you are paying a premium for the classy service and the panache of the kitchen rather than the ingredients or the painstaking labour that’s gone into them. So there were several starters over a tenner, most mains were north of £20 and there was one bottle of white to be had for less than £30. Having said that, the wine is good value; we had a wonderfully complex Viognier and a glass of the Pollen Street red which was terrific. Everything can be had by the carafe or glass. And there's a set menu for £21/£25.
Although the tables are close together, there is so much great buzz (and some decent music) that it’s not an issue. Parties of four or more should definitely aim to get one of the elegant booths. There are some seats at the bar counter but in a room this narrow, I would only recommend that for foodies or very close friends.
On my way to Little Social, I wandered through Soho and stuck my head in the door of their new place, Social Eating House, which is in the middle of a soft open. The vibe I took from the room and the maitre d’ was just like Little Social: instant wow factor. Perhaps Jason Atherton is set to run the next great London restaurant empire.
Matt P.'s rating
- Food & Drink: 8
- Service: 9
- Atmosphere: 10
- Value: 7
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Published : Friday, 17th May 2013
A Girl Has to Eat - Restaurant Reviews & Food Guide :: Little Social
The address of 5 Pollen Street has since been taken over by Jason Atherton and he has taken to converting it into a charming French bistro endearingly named Little Social. It sits across the road from Pollen Street Social, Atherton’s flagship restaurant that he established after leaving Maze and the Gordon Ramsay fold. Pollen Street Social registers on the upper end of the scale. It’s fine dining through and through with a one-Michelin star to boot...
More from A Girl Has to Eat - Restaurant Reviews & Food Guide »
Published : Friday, 26th April 2013
The Hedonist :: Little Social – Review
But now as part of the new wave of French joints opening in town (see our reviews of Zedel, Chabrot and Garnier) we have Little Social, le petit bistro brother of The Hedonist’s fave-Jason Atherton’s Pollen St. Social, handily placed over the road from his home base in a site that housed a short-lived and often empty Italian restaurant. Now I may have a fickle heart but I know when it’s love at first sight. So if Balthazar is Katie Boyle, then Little Social is Juliette Greco. If you don’t get it go and read another blog!...
More from The Hedonist »
Published : Tuesday, 26th March 2013
Forks-Up Restaurant Reviews :: Little Social Restaurant Review
It’s always exciting to try somewhere new, especially when that somewhere is Little Social, the new venture from Jason Atherton of Pollen Street Social fame. Situated just across the road from its big sister, Little Social only opened on 18 March but already seems to have made a name for itself in foodie circles...
More from Forks-Up Restaurant Reviews »
Published : Tuesday, 26th March 2013
Sybaricious :: Little Social
It seems that the intention is that Little Social will be a more laid back affair than its Pollen Street sibling and will aim to offer a traditional French bistro style experience. Dangerous perhaps from more than one perspective...
More from Sybaricious »
Published : Saturday, 23rd March 2013
Bears Bites :: Little Social
Jason Atherton’s latest restaurant Little Social opened it’s doors on Monday so fellow food blogger Ed aka rocketandsquash and I went down to check it out. Understated from the outside with no big sign to indicate that you have arrived, which saw me frantically searching around making sure that I had got the right...
More from Bears Bites »
Published : Thursday, 21st March 2013
Rocket & Squash :: Little Social
Little Social sits across the road from Pollen Street Social, the epicentre of Atherton’s burgeoning restaurant kingdom. The frontage is understated, with just a menu box to indicate you’re in the right place. Inside is long and thin. Arguably, the two best tables are at either end, one in the bay window at the front, the other more secluded but still exposed to the room...
More from Rocket & Squash »
Published : Wednesday, 20th March 2013
Culinary Creep :: Little Social, Mayfair
I was lucky enough to attend the preview night at Jason Atherton’s newly opened venture; Little Social. Taking its inspiration from French Brasseries, with deep burgundy leather seating, the space is cozy, intimate, and a place you can very easily while away with a couple of bottles of wine...
More from Culinary Creep »
Published : Saturday, 16th March 2013
SamTheFoodFan :: Little Social
Situated directly opposite Pollen Street Social, you could easily be mistaken for thinking that you were stepping into a little bistro in France and not into a restaurant in the heart of London. The feel has been captured beautifully with deep red banquettes, dark wood tables, heavy silverware and vintage French artwork on the walls...
More from SamTheFoodFan »
Published : Saturday, 16th March 2013
SamTheFoodFan :: Little Social
Situated directly opposite Pollen Street Social, you could easily be mistaken for thinking that you were stepping into a little bistro in France and not into a restaurant in the heart of London. The feel has been captured beautifully with deep red banquettes, dark wood tables, heavy silverware and vintage French artwork on the walls. The a la carte menu is also classic French, printed on pieces of paper to encapsulate the theme even further. There is also a daily changing prix fixe menu. Choosing what to have was tough...
More from SamTheFoodFan »

Essential Details for Little Social

Address: 5 Pollen Street, London W1S 1NE
Telephone: 020 7870 3730
Email: reservations@littlesocial.co.uk
Website: Visit Little Social
Opening Hours: Mon-Sat 12N-2.30pm, 6pm-10.30pm
Restaurant Facilities: Alfresco dining area

Cuisine: French
Area: Hanover Square, Savile Row
Price: £49.00
Wine: £24.00
Champagne: £70.00

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Diner reviews for Little Social

Little Social
5 Pollen Street, London W1S 1NE
Overall rating:
by Matt P. (31) 14 April 2013
1 of 1 people found this review helpful.
For a moment, my heart sank when I walked into Little Social. The brass rails, the crimson banquettes, the vintage French posters on the walls… I thought I'd entered a Delaunay / Zedel clone with their menus exhaustingly enumerating Euro classics; clubby school dinners joints for the 21st century. I gritted my teeth and picked up the menu, expecting to be confronted with steak tartare and dauphinoise and crème brulee. But they were nowhere to be seen. Despite the postmodern bistro effect, the menu here is decidedly fresh and new.
For starters we shared an exquisite crayfish and cauliflower risotto that was a masterpiece of presentation; you have never seen cauliflower looking this good. A crab and tomato salad was pretty as a picture, but not quite as strong on taste as the risotto. For mains we took the halibut ‘BLT’, the fish garnished with a gorgeous chunk of Alsace bacon, wilted gem lettuce and a tomato sauce; the perfect lunch dish. We also took the cheeseburger which my companion insisted would test the mettle of the kitchen in exactly the same way that the quality of the club sandwich tells you all you need to know about a hotel. It didn’t let us down. None of those dishes was familiar (bar the burger of course) yet they all felt just right for the setting.
And what really makes Little Social a destination is the dessert menu; it must be one of the best I’ve seen anywhere. Every single item on the menu commanded your attention with a flourish of originality and every single one cried out to be ordered. After some horse-trading we chose the brown sugar tart with black sesame crumble and the hot chocolate moelleux with salted almond icecream. Both were of the calibre where you find yourself taking tiny spoonfuls in order to prolong the experience.
Service was first class: confident, proud, charming, smart. The couple next to us had chosen to squeeze in next to each other on the banquette, in a way that screamed “affair!”, and when the maitre d’ had to rearrange their place settings to accommodate this, he made it seem like it was the biggest treat he'd had all week. There’s a small army of staff – I think we may have been served by five different people – but there is evidently teamwork as there was no overlap at all. I can’t give a perfect 10 for service though because it took three emails and two phone calls to confirm my booking.
Prices are at the very top end for this category of restaurant; you are paying a premium for the classy service and the panache of the kitchen rather than the ingredients or the painstaking labour that’s gone into them. So there were several starters over a tenner, most mains were north of £20 and there was one bottle of white to be had for less than £30. Having said that, the wine is good value; we had a wonderfully complex Viognier and a glass of the Pollen Street red which was terrific. Everything can be had by the carafe or glass. And there's a set menu for £21/£25.
Although the tables are close together, there is so much great buzz (and some decent music) that it’s not an issue. Parties of four or more should definitely aim to get one of the elegant booths. There are some seats at the bar counter but in a room this narrow, I would only recommend that for foodies or very close friends.
On my way to Little Social, I wandered through Soho and stuck my head in the door of their new place, Social Eating House, which is in the middle of a soft open. The vibe I took from the room and the maitre d’ was just like Little Social: instant wow factor. Perhaps Jason Atherton is set to run the next great London restaurant empire.
Matt P.'s rating
- Food & Drink: 8
- Service: 9
- Atmosphere: 10
- Value: 7
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