Location: This is a small chain of about 11 restaurants spread across the country, but mostly focused around the Midlands
Style: French although probably slightly Anglicised
Budget: 3 courses and drinks for about £25 a head; often lunch offers on
The menu: A separate gluten free menu is always provided and it’s pretty extensive.
What I ate: Mini chorizos in honey for an aperitif, which were amazing as ever. I always have these, come rain or shine, as they are one of the best things on the menu. I then had the haddock risotto for my starter, which had little bits of leek in and the rice was slightly crunchy and delicious. It was a little on the filling side, though. For my main course, I chose the minute steak as the French do these like nobody else. It wasn't quite as authentic as those I have had in France but it was tasty nonetheless and the cut was of reasonable quality. No shoe leather here. For pudding I went for the chocolate mousse with meringue pieces, which came with some unannounced extras – firstly a huge dollop of cream on top which I’d have rather not had, and secondly it was actually a chocolate orange mousse which perhaps they ought to have told me first. Luckily I like chocolate orange things but others may not be so lucky! This is a minor point though and I'm being picky. It was tasty and big helping, which was very, very solid, so I couldn't finish it. They also provided gluten free bread on the side just after my starter for no extra cost.
Service: Pretty good, a little variable – sometimes too keen, sometimes absent.
Good things: the menu is great for coeliacs as there is plenty of choice. The wait staff are not surprised by gluten free requests and are pretty knowledgeable about the issue. It’s pretty good value and a relaxed ambiance which is perfect for catching up with friends or bringing the whole family
Top Tips: The mini chorizos are to die for. Ask for gluten free bread if you want it; sometimes they forget. The lunchtime offers are generally good and they do a Sunday Roast on a Sunday.
Areas for improvement: the menu has been the same for quite some time now. It’s a good menu, don’t get me wrong, but some variation would be nice.
Final score: 4.5 out of 5. Only marked down slightly because the menu is pretty static and I feel I’ve almost exhausted it. Other than that, it’s brilliant.
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