Inside Princess Diana’s favourite restaurant including a hidden ‘snail farm’ – along with bizarre bust
PRINCESS Diana’s favourite restaurant includes a hidden “snail farm” – along with a bizarre bust.
London‘s oldest French restaurant L’Escargot in Soho was popular among royals and pop stars.
Faces of regulars including Elton John, Coco Chanel and Dame Judy Dench crown the reception at the lavish restaurant in Greek Street
But one of the most famous regulars was the late Princess Diana.
A content creator from Secret London who visited the eatery said the interior still has an “old school luxury” feel.
In a video she said: “It is so nice in here it feels proper special. We ordered a bunch of stuff and even the first of bread almost had me in tears.”
L’Escargot was opened Georges Gaudin in 1927 as a tribute to its most popular dish – snails.
The eatery is housed inside a Georgian townhouse which was the former private residence of the Duke of Portland.
At the entrance, visitors can spot a bizarre bust at the entrance of the original owner M.Gaudin riding a snail with the motto “slow but sure”.
But the most interesting spot is hidden in the basement – where owners keep a snail farm for their signature meal.
The restaurant boasts a French-specialised menu featuring top dish- including the characteristic onion soup and flamed snails.
The Instagrammer added: “The snails were really nice but I’d wanted them to be a bit more salty to be honest.
“We also got the salmon and the onion soup which I was a big fan of. For the mains we recommend the Chateaubriand.
“And I particularly liked the lemon tart.”
Clients of the high-class spot can also access a hidden room boasting live music and a wide range of bar drinks.
The influencer said: “It really is a hidden gem, I honestly can’t wait to go back.”
L’Escargot suddenly rolled the shutters down last February after going into administration.
At the time, owner Brian Clivaz said: “We closed after seeking financial advice from various parties.
After three months of closure, the popular restaurant finally reopened to the public.
He said: “The pandemic hit hard and it’s bit very stop-go, stop-go. It was a bit of a struggle, and it is across the industry.
“We have had some additional investment from friends – silent investors – and we’re pleased. I was never in doubt we would come through it.
“In the past couple of months, lots of people have contacted me airing their concerns.
“Some wrote malicious things – some wrote to me to tell me L’Escargot was their ‘favourite restaurant,’ which was odd because I hadn’t seen them dine there in years.
“Everything is amicably resolved now and we’re looking forward to reopening.”