Happiness Forgets will always hold a special place in my heart. When my now boyfriend first asked me out for a drink, it was here that he suggested and from that I could tell we were going to have a great time.
Fast-forward three years and the team behind Happiness Forgets have opened Stoke Newington’s Original Sin (which just won Timeout London’s Best New Bar award!) and now Petit Pois, a restaurant sitting just above the original bar.
If Happiness Forgets is all about cocktails, then Petit Pois is all about the wine. Expect a carefully curated wine list from Sommelier, Chris Madden (formerly of Social Eating House) which complements the small but perfectly formed French menu. A bottle of the Cabaret Frank worked perfectly with the whole menu.
Sure to become their signature dish, a generous portion of black pudding is topped with a perfectly poached egg, a sprinkle of pancetta and a shock of green salad on the side – the best black pudding I’ve tasted – wonderfully seasoned, truly decadent. I urge black pudding-sceptics to give it a go, you’ll be converted for sure.
I think you can tell a lot about a restaurant from their bread basket (or lack of). The gorgeous sourdough offered here is ideal for scooping up the light fragrant broth of the Moules Mariniere.
Duck confit was fantastic and came with a dreamy pot of creamy Dauphinoise, true comfort food, so at home in this intimate, candle lit booth. Rare steak is sliced up and served simply with the saltiest frites and a dippable Béarnaise sauce. A side of glazed baby onions with lardons was very naughty but wholly unnecessary – portions here are generous so you won’t leave hungry. The closest you’ll get to a pea at Petit Pois is with a side of peashoots, parmesan and honey vinaigrette – oh the irony.
You must leave room for the chocolate mousse, served straight out of the bowl, a big unpretentious dollop of joy.
If our relationship is as successful as Happiness Forgets ventures, it looks like we’ll have a very happy future ahead of us to say the least – and now a new date night spot to boot.
A refreshingly good value, good looking restaurant.
THIS RESTAURANT HAS NOW CLOSED PERMANENTLY.
