Nothing gets a foodie salivating quite like a "secret recipe", and the debate over the ingredients in the signature sauce of French steak chain Le Relais de Venise L'Entrecôte has been going on since the first restaurant opened in Paris in 1959. Le Relais arrived in London in 2005, and I visited a couple of times before deciding I was too old to queue for my dinner (they don't take bookings). But then along came Hawksmoor, followed by glitzy Goodman, and suddenly the whole country seemed steak crazy – and I remembered that "famous sauce", as it's described on the menu. (I say menu, but as they only serve one thing – entrecôte with French fries, sauce, salad and bread – it's more of a statement of intent.)
The management have remained tight-lipped – which only fuels the fires of speculation. Feverish devotees make wild claims online, while a few years ago Le Monde declared "The secret of l'Entrecôte, finally revealed!" Hélène Godillot, who inherited the original restaurant from her father, was unperturbed, saying the newspaper's concoction of chicken livers, thyme, cream and mustard bore "no relation" to Godillot père's sauce; having just visited the Marylebone branch, I'm inclined to believe her.
There is definitely more than one herb in it – I'd guess parsley, tarragon and possibly even chives, in addition to thyme. They're just showing off with the liver idea too. The base of this sauce is nothing more than a modified béarnaise, made by whisking egg yolks and copious amounts of melted butter into a shallot vinegar reduction. As for the flavourings: Dijon mustard, garlic, and – I'd stake my chips on it – green peppercorns, which add the savoury, briney note.
A spokesman for the London branches claims to be in the dark about the recipe (they are apparently "supplied by the Godillot family direct") – but what's in no doubt is that with their restaurants packed out each night, this is one hell of a lucrative mystery.
• Food blog: what does does your choice of sauce say about you?
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