• Added: 25th of August 2008
• Area: Allaman
• Category: Restaurants

Allaman 1143
021 803 4934

pantagruel said
Great food at the cafe side of Auberge de la Couro
The Auberge de la Couronne in Apples has a main restaurant and a cafe alongside. Sharing a kitchen, this means the cafe benefits from the restaurant’s standard of food – and it is very good.

For example, although this is a cafe, you get an amuse-bouche dish at the beginning: we had a tasty glass of gazpacho. Main courses were quite elaborate, but delicious. The pudding menu was varied and tempting, and the dishes themselves excellent and beautifully presented.

We picked a local red wine from a good wine list (the cafe has its own, but you can also ask for the, much longer, list from the main restaurant). Service was charming and highly professional.

The cafe of the Auberge de la Couronne at Apples is a proper cafe. Locals come in just for a cup of coffee, or a ‘petit coup de rouge’ and it has a nice low key feel. But the quality of the food and the service really is of the restaurant standard. So it is a great deal.

I highly recommend the Auberge de la Couronne.

• Added: 25th of August 2008
• Area: St Prex
• Category: Restaurants

St Prex 1162
0218061028

pantagruel said
Give La Croix Federale at St Prex a miss
We had a bad experience at La Croix Federale at St Prex, and can’t recommend it.

There is a restaurant and a cafe, and we booked into the latter. It was a beautiful evening, so on arrival (to a grumpy reception) we asked if we could switch to the restaurant on the terrace as the cafe is inside in a very dark and enclosed room. The surly waiter whipped back with a firm ‘non’, no tables available; but another, slightly friendlier waiter coming up then said there was a table free, and showed us to it.

I ordered the traditional specialty, filets de perches, choosing the new potatoes option to go with it, over chips. My spouse ordered an escalope. When my filets de perches arrived with chips I pointed out I had ordered new potatoes. The waiter implied I had made a mistake, and grudgingly came back with four of the tiniest potatoes rolling around in the bottom of a bowl – in stark contrast to the generous portions arriving at other tables. The filets de perche were very greasy. The escalope was reported to be OK.

The service was slow and inattentive, and the ambience, from start to finish, unfriendly verging on hostile. We were not enjoying the experience, so we cut out pudding (the pudding menu was very uninspiring in any case) and left.

Although the village of St Prex is right on Lake Geneva with one of the most stunning views, La Croix Federale is located away from the waterfront and has no view at all. If the dining experience had been better, one might not mind this too much. As it is, I do not plan to go there again, and can’t recommend it.

• Added: 25th of August 2008
• Area: Meiringen
• Category: Restaurants

Meiringen 3860

pantagruel said
Gourmet Excellence at Hotel Victoria, Meiringen
The Hotel Victoria in Meiringen is an exception to the rule that hotel restaurants are often mediocre. The hotel owner is also the head chef. He has worked in the USA (Chicago and Los Angeles), and watched in kitchens in Vietnam. He brings these experiences back to the kitchen at the Hotel Victoria in Meiringen.

The interesting menu (and generous portions - perhaps the US influence) includes, for starters: the Seasonal and House Salads (the latter similar to the former but with bacon and mushrooms), by far the most interesting salads I’ve ever had in Switzerland, beautifully presented with an interesting variety of ingredients; Spring rolls, with two sauce dips; lemongrass soup with pineapple and ginger.

For main courses: a tender and tasty filet mignon (US meat) with salt & pepper on top, the smoothest pureed potato, baby broad beans, and a truly wonderful pinot noir reduction sauce – awesome!; wild boar with vegetables and polenta; Vietnamese catfish with lime risotto & oriental vegetables; chicken with tricolore pasta.

For pudding: Spanish crème brulee; kiwi mousse (more thickshake than mousse really); tarte tatin, with a sort of light filo pastry bottom, and vanilla ice cream.
A sophisticated amuse-bouche plate arrives to start the meal. There is a good international wine list from which we sampled some tasty Swiss wines (from Ticino and Valais). Some of the purest water in the world cascades from the hills around here. So drinking the tap water is a gourmet experience in itself.

The Victoria Hotel in Meiringen has recently been completely renovated. It now has a fresh, contemporary look, including a clever use of tall light rods to separate, but not block, the dining room from the bar. The dining room looks through large picture windows directly up at the Reichenbachfalle falls, where Sherlock Holmes and Moriarty locked in battle and fell to their deaths (or did they ...?). The staff are of mixed friendliness and efficiency; but overall the ambience is very open and well-meaning, and the pace of service was good.

The big no-no at this restaurant was that No.1 enemy: piped music. Why do restaurants do this? But they redeemed themselves by actually turning it off, completely, when asked to turn it down – very unusual.

• Added: 25th of August 2008
• Area: St Sulpice
• Category: Restaurants

St Sulpice 1025

pantagruel said
The Auberge le St-Sulpice is unexciting
Located in a lovely village on Lake Geneva, complete with 12th century Romanesque church. This rather soulless,cavernous,1960’s style restaurant also has a large outside terrace with partial views of the Lake. So a good place to eat out on hot summer days.

The menu was OK but unexciting. The high point was the starter: “meli-melo” melon and parma ham, flavoursome, served in beautifully arranged twists and in generous quantities. The rest of the meal was so-so, washed down with a 50dl carafe of a nice local wine.

Our waiter seemed like a nice chap and the service was fine; but he looked cowed by the owner’s hovering presence (not doing anything to help, just hovering). This did not contribute to a cheery ambiance.

One slight gripe: I ordered steak tartare. This, it turns out, came in two quantities and I was served the large (much more expensive) one, without being asked which I’d like.

If you’re in the area and need to eat, this is fine. But I wouldn’t go out of my way to eat here again, especially as it is fairly fully priced.

• Added: 25th of August 2008
• Area: Gruyeres
• Category: Restaurants

Gruyeres 1663

pantagruel said
Hotel de Ville agreeable for lunch
Gruyere is a cute medieval town perched on the top of a hill. It has been well restored and is now, inevitably, touristy. It is still a lovely place to visit, and the Hotel de Ville is a good place, amongst a lot of choice, to have lunch.

The Hotel de Ville at Gruyere is newly refurbished, so is bright and airy, with white walls and a lot of pale wood. It has a terrace at the front facing the square, and tables inside with fantastic views over the surrounding countryside (there is a central inside room too without views, so be sure to ask for a table next to the window in the back room).

The menu offers plenty of choice but, not surprisingly, has a lot of cheese dishes. So it is almost inevitable you order one of these. They are delicious, but be warned: gruyere is very filling and a little goes a long way. I had the gruyere quiche and my spouse the macaroni cheese. Portions were enormous and either one of these dishes would have been enough for the two of us.

Service was cheerful and timely, and the atmosphere good, if inescapably a bit touristy.

• Added: 1st of July 2008
• Area: Covent Garden
• Category: Cafes and Coffee Shops

London WC2B 5HZ
020 7240 0064

pantagruel said
Change of management - not for the better
This used to be a Patisserie Valerie. But on going there recently with my spouse found it is now Boswell's. However, it looked unchanged inside so we thought we'd try it anyway.

The staff seemed friendly, although with English weak enough to cause a problem with ordering. One of the reasons I like Patisserie Valerie is because of the generous portions. You feel well fed, and that you've had good value for money. Sadly this is no longer the case here. I had a mozzarella and avocado salad - very disappointing with a few tiny pieces of mozzarella and avocado hiding in some unexciting greens. My spouse had a "crouque monsieur" (sic) reported to be reasonable but also far from P.V. standards.

Service was only 'fair' at best and it was difficult attracting attention - (staff busy chatting to each other) another lapse from P. Valerie days.

Overall, still quite 'gemutlich' as a venue, but the pace of service and language difficulties, coupled with disappointing food and poor value means I probably won't go there any more. Pity.

• Added: 10th of April 2008
• Area: Preverenges
• Category: Restaurants

Preverenges

pantagruel said
Lakeside traditional Swiss hotel with restaurants
A nice, unpretentious, traditional Swiss hotel right on a lake 'beach' on Lake Geneva. Terrific sunset facing terrace.

A chef masterclass was in progress when we arrived for dinner. A group of about 10 people all in chef's aprons, sampling the fruits of their earlier labours in the company of the chef himself. It all looked very professional.

The room is very agreeable, in a traditional style. Tables are well spaced and the seating comfortable. Unfortunately they have piped music, which I hate. But otherwise the ambience was very soothing.

Not surprisingly being by the lake, the menu has a fairly strong fish bias, but there is choice there for all tastes. They have 4 prix fixe 'Menus' to choose from, as well as a (relatively limited) a la carte menu.

To begin, we were given a spring roll 'amuse-bouche'. With the pudding menu in mind (see below)light starters were lacking and we asked for a green salad. This was not on the menu, so perhaps a bit unfair to comment that it was unimaginative with a boring, mayonnaise style dressing. But given the quality of the rest of the meal I would have hoped for something made with a bit more passion.

We then had Beef in a Pinot Noir sauce. Very good quality meat and a well-flavoured sauce. The 'mixed vegetables' accompaniment were more of a garnish than a serving (beautifully done mind you); next time I would order a proper side dish of something. I found the pommes de terre dauphinoises scrummy, made with mustard, and my spouse said the chips were also very good.

Puds were excellent. I had pommes poelees with a raisin goo, a blob of apple sorbet (very appley indeed) and chocolate feuilletes. The raisin goo was quite sweet, and perfectly offset by the clean and slightly sharp apple sorbet. A very good combo. My spouse had the dark and white chocolate mousse with red berry sauce. I was allowed a taster of this fantastic looking dish - it was absolute heaven, and melt in the mouth light. Both puds had good presentation - well up to sophisticated urban standards.

They have a very good list of Swiss wines (including halves and 'Imperials' 50cl). We chose a Domaine la Colombes 2006 Pinot Noir, Raymond Paccot, from Fechy (which we had visited that morning). This went down well.

The service was efficient, friendly and well-paced. There were times when there was no-one attending in the room (mainly at those moments when we needed something), which I think shouldn't happen. But we never had to wait for too long.

For a small lakeside restaurant away from the main urban areas, the bill came in at a fairly pricey £50+/head. But this is Switzerland and everything is expensive, so you have to make allowances.

The meal overall was very good and I would certainly go there again, perhaps for a moderately special occasion given the price. There is a more low key brasserie in the hotel as well. Assuming the two restaurants are served by the same kitchen, one might get quite a good deal there, albeit without the same atmosphere (there were some noisy children there when we went, lighting is brighter and the decor generally more 'simple daytime' than 'evening mood').

Coming out after this lovely meal you are faced with a stunning view of the lake and, if you need it, a lovely walk along the lake edge just to help it all settle - a wonderful way to finish off!

• Added: 27th of September 2007
• Area: Sudbury
• Category: Restaurants

Sudbury CO10 9DN

pantagruel said
True Suffolk Character
I whizzed in here for a quick lunch on my way to a business engagement. I should have left more time as this is really a very comfortable and attractive Suffolk hotel/restaurant, the staff are great, and the food is delicious. It recently won an award for the best food in Suffolk.

New management arrived in about 2000 and they have made the place very comfortable in a very appropriate, traditional way (which I like). Lots of antiques, warm Suffolk colours on the walls, and proper curtains and soft furnishings. It is a hotel (10 bedrooms); but it also has a 'formal' dining room and also a bar - where you get the same menu, but in a more informal setting. This is where I went.

I was short of time, so had 2 starters, for speed. I had chilled sugar snap pea, avocado and mint soup: good, but rather over-salty. Then I had "warm slow baked Suffolk ham on nicoise salad, topped with fired quails' eggs". Utterly YUM!

I mentioned to the cheerful and helpful staff that I was a bit short of time and they were very good about moving things along. Full marks.

The hotel sits on the angle of the road, with the bar restaurant room (windows on the two faces)directly overlooking the Green. The famous and magnificent Long Melford church is to the left, and Long Melford Hall is on the other side of the green. A terrific Suffolk view whilst you eat.

• Added: 12th of September 2007
• Area: Marylebone
• Category: Restaurants

London W1U 7NH
020 7935 5929

pantagruel said
Good neighbourhood lunch spot
I gather there is a new chef of late here (?) and the food was certainly very good. I came for lunch with my spouse. I had a delicious, light pumpkin salad to start with, whilst my spouse had cauliflower soup of the day - happy slurping noises, so took it that this went down very well too.

To follow I had the House fishcakes which come with a poached egg on top and hollandaise sauce, the whole atop a bed of green beans. It seems this is a favourite House dish, and I can see why. My spouse had a very generous portion of the Special of the Day: pumpkin risotto (must be the pumpkin season ...)which was also good. My spouse was very fond of the hamburgers here, and said it is the one pity that the new chef has not kept this on the menu (please chef, can we have it back?).

The ambience is very genial and the staff friendly and helpful. When our bill arrived including a charge for my starter salad as a main course, this was corrected quickly, with apologies and no fuss. The pace of service was just right - particularly important at lunchtime when time is limited.

It was one of those chilly September days, and the restaurant is located on the non-sunny side of the street. I found the room cold (to the extent it took the edge off my enjoyment of the meal), but perhaps it warms up when the rooms are full (it wasn't very busy that day).

The restaurant is located in a quiet street. The tables are reasonably well spaced, so you don't have to share your conversation - as can happen in so many London restaurants.

I would definitely like to come here again.

• Added: 6th of July 2007
• Area: Islington
• Category: Restaurants

London EC1Y 8JD
020 7588 1798

pantagruel said
Good value City Italian
This is a little-known, good value Italian restaurant hidden away on the northern edge of the Barbican. Its 'traditional' decor was getting rather tired-looking, so the makeover a little while ago was welcome. It is now very smart.

The staff all seem to be italian, so the experience still feels authentic. Service was good and well paced - particularly important at lunchtime. The food, which remains traditional italian, is very good. On my most recent visit with a business guest, I had an artichoke & rucola salad to start (nice and light but with a very bland dressing). My guest had salmon on a sort of pappadum on a bed of rucola. Appreciative noises suggested this went down well.

We both followed with the pasta of the day: two sorts of agnolotti, one stuffed with peas and ricotta, the other with pumpkin. Delicious, accompanied by some well-prepared spinach. We both declined pudding, but these are a mix of the traditional kind (panna cotta, tiramisu etc.) with a few more British ones.

With coffee, but without puds and just one glass of wine, this came to about 30/head - very good value for a venue of this calibre in the City.