He we are by Nicholas Sharp

Restaurant : LE CEFALU

Avenue Philippe Auguste

75011 PARIS

Restaurant : LES ALLOBROGES

71, rue des Grands Champs

75020 PARIS

Telephone : 01 42 55 61 64

Menu at 34 € pp (dinner)

Closed : Mondays . The restaurant closes for annual holidays in August ,at Easter and for certain Bank Holidays (jours fériés).

Les Allobroges takes it’s name from a warlike, Gallic tribe that roamed between the Rhône and the Isère region of France - but the connection ends there; this restaurant is in the hinterland of the 20^th arrondissement, north of the Place Nation and as far as I know the owners are not descendants of the Allobroges.

Our evening got off to a bad start as we were completely ignored by the owner’s wife (front of house) and her surly daughter when we arrived- black marks there. There are two dining-rooms and we were placed in the rear room, which is stifling when the air conditioning is switched off and is rather confined (not for claustrophobics)- the front room is airier and lighter (ask for a table here when reserving).

The proprietors have owned several restaurants in Paris over the years, all in the 11^th or 12^th arrondissements, we discovered this when Madame redeemed herself by making an effort to talk to us when we paid the bill! Monsieur oversees the kitchen and his cooking is accurate without being very inspiring – my kidneys with a Madeira sauce were perfectly cooked and the sauce well seasoned, my wife’s St Pierre was average- however the Foie Gras to start was very good indeed (lovely texture and flavour ) – the chef, like his wife, redeemed himself with his outstanding desserts – a fantastically light’ feuillété de fruits rouge’ (raspberries) and the not to be missed cigare au chocolat –remarkable wafer thin pastry leaves surrounding a wicked chocolate interior.

Reasonably priced, service needs to improve though.

6.5/10

Restaurant : LE BARATIN

Address : 3, rue Jouye-Rouve

75020 PARIS

Telephone : 01 43 49 39 70

Closed : Saturday lunch and all day Sunday & Monday

This small, classic bistrôt is to be found in Paris’ unfashionable 20^th arrondissement and it’s well worth the visit. The décor is unsophisticated but it’s the food that attracts a loyal clientele, make sure you reserve beforehand as the restaurant is popular.

Set menus range from a 16 € pp ( lunch only) to 40 € pp –the daily specials (usually 3 main dishes at lunchtime) are mentioned on the slateboard . Superb roast shoulder of pork with a crispy skin (rare to find pork cooked like this in France) with a chilli sauce served on a spinach bed, cod with crushed potatoes and olive oil was perfect and this was rounded off with (categorically) the best chocolate fondant I’ve ever tasted. Starters included ‘fromage de tête, and caponata with anchovies – accurate cooking orchestrated by Madame whilst Monsieur guides you through his thoughtful wine list..we had an unusually excellent sparkling rosé as a an aperitif.

8/10

Restaurant : L’Ascalier

9, place du Dauphin 28160 BROU

Telephone : 02 37 96 05 52

Closed : Sunday evening, Monday evening and Tuesday evening.

Brou is in the Eure et Loir region (Centre), south west of Chartres, and this charming two storey restaurant is to be found in the heart of the bustling market town. At lunchtime the restaurant was full and it’s no surprise as the cooking is of a high standard. Monsieur   is in the kitchen overseeing his traditional (yet inventive) dishes, whilst his wife manages the ‘salle’ in an extremely efficient manner, the service is excellent.

Luncheon –Menu 13,70 € pp including Starter and Main course is extremely good value – other set menus are also available or there is the enterprising ‘carte’ with a strong accent on local produce, from this essentially agricultural region of France

Menu:

Andouille –coarse grained home made sausage (herbs and pork)– served with warm baby potatoes with a light mayonnaise –v good indeed.

Crispy thin paléron (shoulder of beef) served on a mixed vegetable bed –sautéed baby potatoes – slightly dry beef but tasty – tempted by the puddings, the strawberry charlotte looked super, but it was stiflingly hot so we resisted..

A la carte

Gratin de Langoustines.. Shellfish cream sauce, absolutely delicious – the sauce was lightly seasoned.

The Ascalier is clearly worth a detour so we shall return to do it justice, a rating of 7/10.

Restaurant : COMPTOIR A HUÎTRES

Address : 12 , cours de Dakar, 76200 DIEPPE

Telephone : 02 35 84 19 37

Open – Tuesday to Saturday inclusive

Closed : All day Sunday & Monday -seasonal closure Last weekend in February to 2^nd week of March and August..

Located in the insalubrious dock area of Dieppe, (you could be on the set of ‘On the Waterfront’) this seafood restaurant is an absolute gem.

A long bar (zinc) stretches the length of the room behind which the jovial owner, Marc, greets his ‘guests’ in between opening oysters and preparing the wonderful shellfish platters which are a speciality here. Large, well spaced,tables are laid with crisp linen table cloths, the service is impeccable and v courteous. This is essentially a seafood restaurant although there are now one or two meat dishes (ex: whole veal kidneys in a mustard sauce) on the menu –Dieppe is a fishing port and is particularly famous for it’s Coquilles St Jacques (scallops), which are a must when in season.The chef prepares them in various different ways but my favourite is in a ‘marmite ‘ (individual stewing pot) with herbs and a lemon and clarified butter sauce -criminal. Fresh fish (rascasse served in a fish bisque sauce vegetables was outstanding) depend on what Marc has bought that morning, whilst shell fish such as langoustines, lobster and crab are also regulars on the menu ,which changes every day.

I have not found a better seafood restaurant in France in my 20 years here, and I was sorely tempted to keep this secret to myself (I found the Comptoir by word of mouth), but I’m an unselfish sort of fellow .A great place to begin or end your holiday in France before taking the ferry back to Blighty, count on 50 € pp including wine for dinner. Rating 8/10.

Restaurant :LE BOURBONNOUX

Address : 44, rue Bourbonnoux, 18000 BOURGES

Telephone : 02 48 24 14 76

Fax :          02 48 24 77 67

Internet :www.bourbonnoux.com

Open – Mondays to Thursdays inclusive, Saturday evening & Sunday lunch.

Closed –All day Friday, Saturday lunch and Sunday evening.

Seasonal closure during part of the (3) school holidays – this varies each year, so check beforehand.

Located in a cobbled street of the same name, and near the magnificent Cathedral, this cosy restaurant is home to traditional French cooking with emphasis on local produce.

Set menus range from 19€ pp -33€ pp- a chilled asparagus soup with a cloud of savoury whipped egg-white was refreshing and tasty, followed by a fillet of cod with walnut oil and a confit de canard (v good - 3 € supplement) both dishes were well presented.The dessert was a peach ‘parfait’ with nougat ice cream –rather clumsily conceived with an array of (unnecessary) fruits as decoration. We were a bit shocked that with the 25 € menu one was not allowed the full cheese board (only possible with the pricier menu), I thought that was a bit cheap. Furthermore my starter, a carrot terrine, tasted of gelatin and was unrefined..The waiters are friendly but I found Madame rather offhand –it was, though, a busy evening. An uneven meal and another establishment resting on its laurels – Rating : 6/10.

Krung Thep

Restaurant Thai -93 rue Julien LaCroix 75020 Paris

Métro : Belleville or Pyrenees

First you have to find this restaurant, which is in the Belleville (20th arr) district of Paris, but it's well worth the trek as this is undoubtedly one of the most authentic Thai restaurants in the city.The décor is typically 'Indonesian' (carved wooden figurines etc) but it's the dining-tables that catch the eye (and the legs !), set on a sort of dais with bench style seating, it requires the flexibility of a contortionist to insert oneself (ladies are advised to avoid wearing short skirts for this exercise), however once installed the real pleasures begin.

The dishes are numbered on the menu, some with an additional photograph (often a bad sign but not here) –there is large choice of starters and main courses but whatever you choose (depending on your taste) you will not be disappointed as the cuisine is refined and the use of spices and herbs in the sauces –masterful.

Shrimp ravioli – melt in the mouth, v fresh, the ravioli casing is made to order and is just the right texture, not too glutinous..Served with two sauces –spicy and soy.

Grapefruit salad with shrimps – this is a deliciously refreshing way to start a meal – delicate slices of grapefruit served with salad  and topped with a wonderful grated coconut and basalmic vinegar dressing-the coconut is crunchy and offsets the bitterness of the grapefruit.. a great summer dish.

Main Courses

Scallops (Coquille St Jacques) in a coconut milk sauce –lightly spiced –delicious.

Sweet and Sour beef –tender beef slices in an unctuous sauce,served with pineapple and calabrese – 

Spicy beef with a piquant sauce – spicy but not overly so, nicely balanced flavours.

Prices are v reasonable - count on 60 € for 2 with wine..

Note : For those who are looking for an intimate meal en tête à tête Krung Thep is not ideal, because the establishment is popular (reserve  beforehand) and the way the tables are set –in blocks of 6 or 8 settings, one often shares the table with other clients. Rating 7/10.

Restaurant :Le Champêtre

Address 89 Route de Tours, 18100 Vierzon

Telephone 02 48 75 87 18 

Closed : Monday, Wednesday and Sunday evenings and all day Tuesday. Seasonal closure 3 weeks from end of July to mid August.

Vierzon is a good place to break a car journey south (or north) and Le Champêtre is definitely the place to eat.Catherine Jolly is a delightful and attentive hostess out front whilst her husband Christophe wields his magic wand in the kitchen. 

The 3 course set menu at 20 € pp (weekdays) is fantastic value, pigs' trotters nems, salmon tartare as starters followed by a guinea fowl stuffed with chorzio sausage (unusually tasty) or a fillet of hake with a creamy sorrel sauce - desserts included a wonderful apple crumble and a criminally delicious 'coup de foudre' chocolate..There are more elaborate set menus at 38€ pp and 44€ pp with delicacies such as a Lobster salad with a magret vinaigrette ..! oh dear, stop..we 'll have to come back. The good news is that the Jolly's are seeking planning permission to build a hotel next to the restaurant.. which will make this an even more attractive halt. This was the best meal we had all week, refined cooking by a talented artist, the warm welcome adds to the charm.. an easy 8/10. Bravo.

Restaurant : Le Bengy

Address : 25 Route de Paris , 58640  Varenne-Vauzelles

Telephone : 03 86 38 02 84

www.le-bengy-restaurant.com

Closed: Sundays and Mondays - Seasonal closure : August & February 

5 kms from Nevers in a commercial shopping area, this restaurant is decorated in contemporary style with modern table settings -it also boasts a large garden dining area. A three course set dinner menu at 21 € pp (during the week) is v good value.Worth the detour for the accurate cooking using carefully selected local ingredients and brisk, but friendly, service. 

Gazpacho served with a light mousse topping and an emulsion of red onions and homemade lamb nems were among the starters -main courses included roast Magret de Canard with a peppercorn sauce and swordfish with onions and pine nuts. Desserts include nougat ice cream with a cherry sauce and chocolate gateau with a crunchy cherry base and sauce – a bit like a black forest gateau. Solid without being v exciting but good value for money 6.5 /10.

Restaurant -L'Auberge de l'Ecluse

Address: 12, levée de la Loire, Givry, 18320 Cours -les-Barres (Nièvre)

Telephone : 03 86 90 97 28

Open from Wednesday (lunch) to Sunday evening inclusive. Closed :Mondays & Tuesdays.

This restaurant is located on the banks of the Loire by the canal that links the river Allier to the Loire; the lock gates are close to the restaurant -hence its' name.The recently extended terrace is an ideal place to sample the excellent, fresh local produce (charolais beef and perch for example) that is proposed on the set- menus (there are several different formulas).A 16 € pp set menu (weekday lunch only) is extremely good value and includes a main course + cheese or dessert -a salmon cooked in foil with fresh vegetables (v moist) and fresh perch cooked in a champagne and saffron sauce were faultless. An impressive cheese board and café gourmand (crème brulée,and chocolate mousse) rounded off the meal.V friendly service.7/10

Restaurant : Moulin de Ponceau.

Address     : 21,  rue de la Tannerie, 28000 CHARTRES

Telephone : 02 37 35 30 05

Fax            : 02 37 35 30 12

email : infos@moulindeponceau.fr

Opening hours : Lunch  12H00 -14H00

                      Dinner : 19H00 -21H00 The restaurant is closed on Sunday eveings and all day Monday.

No seasonal closure.

Located in the Lower (Bas) city –a wonderful spot on the banks of the River Eure, as the name suggests this restaurant was once a mill;  there are several tables alongside the river –the best place to be of a summer’s evening .

Menu Détente : Set menu including Starter & Maincourse 28.00 € pp / 38 € pp with dessert..

Smoked Salmon – freshly prepared – served with sliced wholemeal bread and freshly whipped lemon cream + salad –

Terrine de Canard and foie gras with a red onion 'confit'  v good –homemade moist and flavourful.

Lamb cutlets with a garlic 'confit' came exactly as ordered – pink – well-seasoned and nicely presented with boiled new potatoes.

Other main courses included Magret de Canard and fillet of Marlin..

It came as a shock though, (after so many wonderful surprises during the week) to find no glass of wine (even the house wine) under 7 € pp and the bottles starting at 30.00 € -the service was pleasant but rushed, and they were n’t full.. This is a classic case of overcharging  to pay for the setting – although the meal was error free, the 'carte' is not v imaginative, this restaurant does not merit more than a 6 /10.