About halfway between Evian and Thonon, just off the main road that connects the two, lies a charming, century-old building that houses a hotel on the upper floors and a restaurant on the ground floor. This review is for the restaurant only. This was our first foray here.
On entry there was no one to greet us and corral us to a table by the lavatory. Instead we were left to our own devices to wander through the two or three rooms that make up this establishment and settle on a table of our liking, in a corner close to the bar. My wife and I were allowed ample time to enjoy our drinks before ordering.
The staff are no nonsense but cordial and attentive. The clientele appears to be made up of an eclectic mix of blue collar workers, business owners and well heeled locals with a sprinkling of tourists. The menu is a liberal offering of classic French fare with a solid selection of wines and spirits. We shared a dozen escargots de Bourgogne for our hors d'œuvre before ordering entrecôte for her and andouillette for myself. We ended with crème brûlée and a tiramisu, coffee, limoncello and a small cognac. The food is fresh, tasty, well prepared and well above average, the house red (of which we got a carafe) decent, servings generous, the service correct, prices fair, the decor mildly rustic but not musty, the general atmosphere slightly clamorous but not unpleasant. There is a courtyard to the side where smokers and nonsmokers alike can enjoy their drinks. We spent a couple of hours there, chatting with Stephane, the rather stern looking but jovial innkeeper and man-behind-the-counter and a lovely Swiss-Argentine couple that were sitting at another table. Definitely worth a visit or if you live in the area as we do, several, regularly. The only negative was that the andouillette was served in a somewhat odd but not unsavoury cheese based sauce that was unfamiliar to me and not the mustard seed sauce that it is customarily served with in both Paris and Troyes. Otherwise a grand experience that left us glowingly satisfied that we shall surely replicate in the weeks to come.
8.5/10. read more
