Casual Italian- French restaurant, voted best of Mountain View, right on Castro with ample outdoor and indoor seating. Only 2 other parties there when we arrived around Sat 12pm. We sat next to window so nice for people watching but got bit hot with sun, even with shade down. Later a few families (seemed like regulars) came in. Lunch menu feels more Italian than French to me - various pastas, pizza, sandwiches, plus entrees. For party of 4, we ordered clam chowder the soup of day, seafood pasta dish, Chicken penne dish, pasta with bacon, and chicken breast entree. Bread with olive oil on the house. My dish Chicken breast was tender and juicy, downed with a lot of buttery sauce, so it was filling. read more

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Brought my toddler and husband here to eat. They had high chairs for my toddler and even a coloring book and crayons. They even asked if we wanted to have the TV turned off when they noticed he was watching the tv. Very attentive. The food was great. It also came with complimentary bread that was warmed up and served with olive oil. My toddler enjoyed the free bread as well. We got the arancini, crab cakes , cordon blue , margarita pizza, mushroom truffle ravioli and steak frites. Our favorite dishes were the crab cakes , steak frites and the mushroom ravioli. The crab cakes were tasty and came with a lemon wedge and aoli, the steak frites came in a large portion. The meat was tender and came with a tasty sauce a mushrooms. My son enjoyed the fries that it came with , tasted like there was truffle oil in it. The ravioli was also good, nice and creamy. They also provided a free panna cotta for my husbands birthday. Overall, toddler friendly and expansive menu given that there are both Italian and French options. read more

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Came here for a drink at the bar having after dinner at a nearby restaurant. I ordered chocolate martini and to my surprised it was the best drink I had in a while. Our bartender was nice and attentive, store ambience feels cozy under the dim lights. I also noticed that they got an award hanging at the front door, will definitely comeback and check out their food in the future. read more

La Fontaine Restaurant - Mandarin Cosmo & Chocolate Martini - French Near Me - Mountain View, California

The numbers of times my family and I have gone here over the years. We've always had the exact same amazing, friendly, outgoing, service, and a lot of the same servers! I've never spoken to the owner, but I am wondering if this is a family run establishment. Everybody always seems so friendly and outgoing and there's a gentleman that does cool napkin tricks also!! Very old-fashioned, but I love it!! They have an incredibly authentic food with delicious flavors and they're smoked salmon,crostini's are simply to die for!! I actually haven't had a dish here that I haven't loved so I would suggest you get a little bit of everything! Even their desserts and ports are perfect pairings! Hee We will definitely be back!! read more

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My husband and I walked out of one restaurant due to poor service, so we were a bit anxious about trying this place. It was still empty when we arrived. It is a cute Italian/French restaurant with very simple decor. Old school jazz vibe (don't take my word for this as I am clueless about style). Our server was so pleasant and jovial. I always like it when I they tell me i ordered their favorite on the menu. The appetizer was so good. I think it was the special for the day. It was stuffed dates with prosciutto I had the truffle mushroom ravioli which was very rich and creamy. So what if I am lactose intolerant? I enjoy now and suffer y. My husband had a pizza (boring!) which he said was delicious. The place started filling up, but the servers moved fast, food seemed to come out of the kitchen in a timely manner. I will definitely return. read more

La Fontaine Restaurant - Mushroom ravioli - French Near Me - Mountain View, California

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This restaurant had been one of my longtime favorites, so it was especially disappointing to see how far the service has slipped. I chose it for my best friend's birthday, and the whole evening made me regret that decision. First, the reservation I called in was apparently nowhere in their system when we arrived. Then came the bread: cold, stale-feeling, and hard. We asked for a replacement because surely that was a one-off. It was not -- the new bread was basically the same. A small request to switch vinaigrette was also met with someone dropping it on the table and leaving before we could even finish speaking. At one point we asked our server what an item on the menu was. The answer: "Sorry, I don't really know." Okay then. What really sealed it was trying to speak with the owner directly. We explained that we were disappointed, especially because this was a birthday dinner at a place we used to love. He listened, acknowledged it, and then walked off. No attempt to make things right, no follow-up, nothing. After seven years, perhaps they have become comfortable enough that returning customers no longer matter. Either way, I would not bring another special occasion here, and I would not recommend it anymore. read more

This place is nestled in downtown Mountain View and has a great vibe - we sat outdoor and enjoyed a beautiful California day. The food is freshly made and is simple Italian food. The Basil lemon drop didn't have as much basil or alcohol in it - heavy on the sugar. The hibiscus champagne was very refreshing and the hibiscus flower was edible and surprisingly tasty. I used to love their panna cotta (it was one of the best in the South Bay) but they made it vegan - still tasty but was not firm enough for my taste - it did melt in your mouth. The mushroom pesto ravioli was good - the pesto was very fresh. Our waiter allowed us to stay as long as we wanted and was very good in communicating when we needed to place our orders. read more

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Came here for a work lunch a couple days ago, and was pleasantly surprised. Servers were polite and the decor was typical of nicer Italian restaurants. Thankfully, they allowed also ordering from the dinner menu by request, and I was told the beef wellington here was quiet good. My party ordered a steak and beef wellington, and after trying it, I was not disappointed. The beef for both was very tender, and the pastry was cooked perfectly. It's made a big differently than some of the ones I've had before, where the mushrooms were ground and in between the beef and steak, but it still tasted great. Price wise, it was a bit expensive, but it is Mountain View. Otherwise, it's a nice restaurant for Italian if you're in the area and I don't really have any complaints. read more

La Fontaine Restaurant - beef wellington - French Near Me - Mountain View, California

*First time review* I was with my family walking downtown MV on Castro last Saturday and we were all in the mood for a place we haven't tried before. We looked at the menu outside and decided to give it a shot. We all got totally different things which was great because I got to try a few things. Pasta 4/5 - I got the chicken and mushroom pasta with sun dried tomatoes. I think it came with peas and I said no peas. The flavor was excellent! Only thing I didn't care for was some of the chicken. Unsure if it was boiled or what but some of them were chewy. Burger - 5/5 super tasty meat, juicy and stacked high with fresh tomatoes, crispy lettuce and a nice toasted brioche bun. Those garlic fries are sooooooo good! I'd come here just for those. Crusted fish - unsure if it was pecans or walnuts (my dad forgot too) but he said it was excellent. I'm not a nut fan so I didn't have any. He said "try it" Chicken with veggies - my bro was eating lean and got the grilled chicken and veggies. He likes the variety of veggies and said the chicken was good. Service was ok; they weren't that busy but only had one person waiting tables. Would come back again and probably get the burger and fries. read more

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Came here on a Thursday night for a birthday dinner. Was only 1 of 2 tables. Not crowded at all. What's weird is that they only offered the special menu, where all the dishes are $40+ when they have a whole regular menu with a wider variety of prices. Finding out they had a normal menu that they didn't offer was strange but made me think they wanted us to pay more since they had so few customers. The blackened sole I ordered was quite delicious, but I would have liked being able to choose from all the options. read more

La Fontaine Restaurant - Blackened sole - delicious - French Near Me - Mountain View, California

Amazing vibes for an evening date! The cocktails are great and the bartender is a very nice person.

We stopped by here for drinks this past weekend cuz I was craving a chocolate martini, and this hit the spot, perfect boozy, sweet and chocolatey goodness. In addition, we got an extra dry gin martini w/ pickled onion, and it was made well and satisfying. Service was attentive and accommodating, and we were delighted to find The Fables of La Fontaine book on display at the bar for our amusement. We took a glance inside, skimming these beloved tales, including one of my faves, The Hare and the Tortoise. We also ordered the arancini to go, and they were yummy. Nice and crisp on the outside, and filled with gooey melted fontina cheese, a good late-night snack... but not as good as those cocktails! read more

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It's been a while since I came to La Fontaine and I felt the need to update my review. Came here for a corporate dinner and thought the experience was fantastic end-to-end. I initially reached out via email for a quote and got a response back within half an hour. I emailed back and forth directly with Chef Hasan a couple of times and ended up locking in our preferred date and time for our group. He provided me with his personal number to text if there were any changes needed before the event or if any other questions came up. At the time of our event, we arrived and our table was already set up with the chosen pre-fix menu already allocated. Shortly after being seated, our round of appetizers came out. The bruschetta in particular was delicious - covered in tomatoes and drizzled in quality olive oil, paired with the perfect crunchy crostini. We all got to choose a preferred main from their shortlisted menu. I decided to get the mushroom truffle ravioli which comes in a pesto sauce. Absolutely amazing. Pure comfort food delight, you can really taste the flavor of the truffle and savory mushroom coming through. Their house focaccia was also amazing - freshly baked and paired so well with the olive tapenade that was served with it. Of course, we had to pair our meal with a nice bottle of Chianti. For dessert, everyone got a slice of tiramisu which was slightly sweet, fluffy, and very delicious. Great experience! read more

This is probably one of the best Italian restaurants that my wife and I have gone to. The food tasted amazing and the service was just as good! They would always make sure our water cups and our bread baskets were full while we wait for our main dishes. They even did a fun "magic" trick with the napkin and turned it into a mouse shape. It was really funny and helped make the atmosphere that much more enjoyable. Would definitely recommend going here! read more

We had dinner recently at La Fontaine. Reservations were easy to make (OpenTable, several days in advance) and were in the relative timeframe I wanted. We got there early and were seated promptly, which was a good thing because unfortunately we were placed next to what turned out to be a party of about 14, so being seated early meant we were out of there by the time they all arrived. Party of 14 notwithstanding, it was pretty noisy in the restaurant. Service was good, although I did have the forethought to ask for to-go boxes, dessert and the check at the same time since that was about when our neighbors started ordering in earnest. We had calamari, beet salad, orecchiette, cavatelli meatballs and, for dessert, lava cake with a scoop of sea salted caramel gelato. (Allegedly. To me it tasted faintly of caramel but I did not find a hint of salt whatsoever.) The calamari and my beet salad were delicious and the best parts of the meal. My husband enjoyed his pasta and meatballs. The orecchiette was EXTREMELY bacon-forward, even for a bacon-lover like me. It could have used less (much less) bacon and more peas. And oddly enough, even with all the bacon, it was pretty dry. Though the list price for the dessert is $10, I'm pretty sure I was charged $12, even though the menu online says there's a $1.50 split fee. I guess it's another way to make money, but what really was split? The miniscule dessert was served on one plate, so basically I was charged $2 for an extra spoon. Ridiculous. read more

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Eh, it was alright. Asked what entrees were our servers favorites and he told us "women like cream sauce because it's silky." Not only did we both think that was completely off-putting (we both work in the restaurant industry) it's just simply untrue. What a thing to say. ‍ Complete turn off. Anyways, tried to carry on with the meal hoping the food itself would turn it around. Food was just okay. We believe there are better Italian restaurants in the surrounding area. Pasta lacked flavor and meatballs were dry. The salad and wine were good. read more

Rude management! The guy is a pure a...hole! They prepared our food late and every time we asked they said it is almost ready for 20 mins. Then when we told them the manager said with a rude attitude that this is how restaurants work! I really want to be contacted by the owner or general manager. The way he talked to me and my wife was not acceptable at all. read more

Absolutely excellent food, service, and experience. One of those rare fine dining experiences that is worth every penny. I had the sea bass (branzino). The fish was soooo succulent. The mashed potatoes rich and creamy. Even the vegetables were cooked with care, every bite fresh and delicious. I also ordered a chocolate martini for good measure. Well done and plenty of volume. Our server was fun and cheery with hilarious napkin folding routines. He made a moving mouse, raw chicken, and hats. We all had fun with his routines. Here are the other orders from my dining party... Calamari: lightly breaded and not over cooked, nicely seasoned, served with two dipping sauces. Braised ribs: fall off the bone tender, wonderfully seasoned, great sauce, the planets was a little bland though. BlackBerry mojito - no skimping on the alcohol, enjoyable and refreshing. Lobster ravioli: pasta had a nice texture, flavorful Angel hair pomodoro with chicken: the chicken strips had a good texture and was flavorful. Next time, it'll be a date night.... read more

La Fontaine Restaurant - Sea bass (branzino) - French Near Me - Mountain View, California

By far superior experience ever had, one of my favorites. Service excellence, spot on by manager. Food epic and atmosphere welcoming. Thanks all for a wonderful experience. Recommend this restaurant. read more

We had a wonderful meal and the service was great. Thank you Norma for seating us at the nice table and keeping our glasses filled. Table bread was lightly toasted with a side of olive oil and herbs. The decor was really nice, cozy and warm. We had calamari, seafood pappardelle, meatballs burgundy, braised short ribs, cream of broccoli soup, beet salad, tiramisu and cappuccinos. All were really tasty and the portions were just right. This was our first time at La Fontaine and we plan to return. Highly recommend La Fontaine for good food, professional service and warm ambiance. read more

My rating for this restaurant = (-100) (i.e. Minus 100). Horrible manager with white hair wearing blue t-shirt with La Fontaine written on it. He was very rude towards us and he is a total as*hole. I'm shocked to see how this place has good rating on yelp with such a*hole manager. When we politely asked if we could get a refill of bread - he shrugged and pointed to the food we ordered to eat(indicate eat that first) and rudely said- "I'm gonna be charging for the extra bread, do you still want it". His attitude was very demeaning towards us. We have no problem buying bread, but he was very rude saying that, during our entire duration in that restaurant, he was very rude even when it came to making payment. I have no idea how this place is still operating with such an as*hole with white hair and blue t-shirt(owner or whosoever). He is a total jackas* and he needs to learn how to treat the customers. I highly highly discourage people going to this place. There are many more good italian restaurants in bay area: goto (Eataly, Cucina Venti, etc) and avoid La Fontaine at ALL COSTS to save yourself from rude behavior. DO NOT GOTO La Fontaine ever. read more

Octopus 5 tender Panna Cotta 5 milky, not too sweet Lamb Chop w/ Pistachio Crust & Fig Sauce 4 need to order medium or more Beef Wellington 4 tender, juicy, need more crust Eggplant Gratin 4 cheesy, tomatoe Smoke Salmon Crostini 4 Short Ribs 3 tomatoe plain flavor Beef Carpaccio 3 not good Tiramisu 3 has alcohol Asparagus Cream Soup 3 too salty read more

Amazing place. Five starts on all fronts. Good beer, good appetizers, great food. Came here for a company dinner. I had the halibut special. read more

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What a surprise! My boyfriend and I came around an hour before closing on a Friday because we were craving Italian food after a long day. This one was one of the places open around the area so we decided to come here. The food was delicious and the service was wonderful! The pasta we got all had great flavor and the pasta was perfectly al dente. Everything about the experience was wonderful and I will be back in the future! read more

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Food - 3.8/5 Service - 4/5 Came here for dinner, loved the branzino. It was the sea bass I think, served on a layer of mashed potato, with broccoli and some mango chunks. Ordered the pizza with prosciutto and orange tomatoes - should have done the vegetarian pizza. Did not like the salmon crostini. read more

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Weeknight dinner was not too crowded with a nice intimate setting and great service! I'd always wanted to check this place out. One of the more popular Italian restaurants in Mt View. We were greeted by our host as well as our waitress. She gave us choices to sit by the window or further back in a booth. We chose the booth as there was another party very close to the window spot. I liked the ample time to chit chat and get familiar with the menu at the start with ice waters dropped off. Ended up ordering the pinot, house cab, beef wellington medium rare, the spicy vegan pasta (CASARECCE CALABRESE), and Antipasta for two for appetizer. I was craving wine so loved the pinot, very smooth. The appetizer was good as well. I loved the beet goat cheese arugula salad and the bruschetta but the mozzarella tomato and cantaloupe prosciutto was good as well. Ate it all. The beef wellington was the highlight of the night. The beef was soo tender and melt in ur mouth. I only had a bit of the pastry wrapped around it. The mashed potatoes and veggies with gravy it came with was so good as well. Tasted like an early comforting thanksgiving meal. The pasta was tasty as well. Vegan and spicy which is a food profile i like to indulge in. Mostly spicy tomato-y and comes with mushrooms as well tho the flavor of the mushrooms is mild. Portion for the pasta was very generous with plenty to take home. Dessert was a great finisher. The lava cake with salted caramel ice cream was my favorite!! The cake was so moist with so much chocolate oozing and the ice cream was hard and not overly salty. The puff pastry with ice cream was a fun experience but not my favorite. I liked the chocolate drizzle on top and the ice cream but not the pastry texture. Overall had a wondering dining experience and our waitress was super nice and helpful throughout the whole night. 10/10 would recommend! read more

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Food service and ambiance all nice and relaxing. Server was very nice. Restaurant very clean.

Thank you to La Fountaine and the lovely Paola for a special Tuesday date night with my youngest. We loved our table by the window and when we came in at 6:15 tm there were very few parties, but by the end of our meal the restaurant was bustling. The octopus appetizer was our very favorite dish of the night. The portion was quite large and the soft texture and grilled flavor was enhanced by the accompanying gigante beans and roasted carrot and onion. It is a must order at this establishment. This seemed like a traditionally Greek dish, emphasizing the diversity of the chef, since this is a French and Italian restaurant. I was also impressed with their version of beef Wellington. The encased filet was a perfect medium rare as ordered, the mushroom duxelle was beautifully executed with woodsy, delicious whole mushrooms included in the finely diced mushroom, onion mixture. The puff pastry was buttery and layered. The accompanying mashed potatoes and broccoli allowed for constructing so many yummy, layered bites of food. Honestly, I left some broccoli in my plate ( kind of mushy), but everything else was perfect. My son got the sausage risotto special. Honestly, although the portion was large, and he really enjoyed his meal, it cost almost as much as the Beef Wellington. Even though he got two meals out of it ( took home a doggie bag) the $42 price tag made my meal, at $49 seem like a relative bargain, given the rustic ingredients and simple preparation. Having attempted to make Beef Wellington unsuccessfully, my take away... get the Wellington or one of the French dishes ( Cordon Bleu is delicious. Order something that you cannot make at home because preparation is complex. This is where this restaurant shines. read more

La Fontaine Restaurant - Beef Wellington and Sausage Risotto - French Near Me - Mountain View, California

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Looking for a break from our usual go-to Asian spots, we decided to try La Fontaine for our Friday night dinner. As a French-Italian spot, we were excited for some variety. Off the bat, we ordered the grilled octopus and crab cakes for our app. The grilled octopus was perfectly cooked, fall-apart tender, and had a nice charred flavor. It was paired with some massive broad beans and tomato oil and was devoured in less than a minute. The crab cakes were tasty too, La Fontaine was generous with the amount of crab and there was minimal filler. Mains consisted of their signature Beef Wellington and a Duck Breast. I was a fan of the Beef Wellington as it had both a crispy pastry and tender filet mignon interior. You can't go wrong with a truffle oil mashed potato pairing either -chef's kiss-. Their duck breast was well-prepared as well, with a good crispy skin and medium rare interior. I liked the chewier wild rice which went well with the fattier duck. Finally, dessert consisted of tiramisu and their decadent Chocolate Temptation. I enjoyed both though at this point we were so stuffed we had to pack some to go. You can't go wrong with either of those dessert choices! La Fontaine also has outdoor seating which is nice! Overall pretty satisfied with dinner, would recommend La Fontaine for those looking to try a proper Beef Wellington for the first time. read more

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Had a lovely meal at La Fontaine! The appetizers were very good especially the arancini. I also loved the chicken pasta (which they substituted red sauce for white. My friends had the truffle mushroom ravioli which they said was good but could have used a touch more seasoning. Overall- a nice meal and we will check them out again. read more

La Fontaine Restaurant - Chicken pasta - French Near Me - Mountain View, California

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A friend and I meet for lunch, once a month, preferring to try different restaurants on and around Castro Street, in Mountain View. La Fontaine is a great place, to dine and to visit, with a friend. We were the first to arrive, when their lunch-time serving began. When we were leaving, while it was a bit noisier, the wonderful atmosphere, great food and stellar service made up for a tad more noise. Although they had an extensive Italian menu for lunch, as well as dinner, we ordered their special hamburger with fries. Everything was of great quality and served in generous portions. I really appreciated the bowl of crusty bread with spiced olive oil, a perfect appetizer, as we waited for our meal to be served. I'd go again to La Fontaine and I highly recommend it to others. read more

Very nice mid week dinner experience with colleagues. Started with several appetizers. Pistachio crusted goat cheese was nice. Bruschetta was, well, bruschetta. Eggplant gratin another nice one. Veal meatballs with polenta was one of the better apps. But the BEST was the crab cakes. Highly recommend those. Dinner selections were nice (see menu pics). I chose the duck breast with wild rice and asparagus. Very, very nice! Beautiful presentation and even better taste! Didn't have dessert but we home else had them and they all looked amazing! read more

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The restaurant manager is extremely rude!! They bring our food one hour after we ordered!! We ordered a salad and the rvioli and that took one hour!! When we asked for explanation, the only thing he said was this is restaurant policy!! He was so rude!! Never waste your time here!! There are so many better restaurant near here!! read more

This has become our Go To restaurant for Italian Food when we are in the area. Their soups are wonderful and change daily. Service is TOPS! We've tried about half the items on the menu and have never been disappointed. The chicken sandwich is like two meals, with a wonderful salad and french fries and a very tasty sandwich. Ravioli is great as are the chicken dishes. We highly recommend ! read more

Went for my dad's birthday, so much fun. Amazing ambiance in the best location! The waitstaff was so nice and the food was delicious. The owner was so kind, nicest guy ever. Smoked Salmon Crostini was the highlight, it was incredible. The pizza was great and the desserts too, especially the tiramisu we got for the birthday which was, no joke, the best tiramisu I've ever had in my life. Such a great experience, I can't wait to come back! read more

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We just had a family Easter dinner - what a great place! Even with little ones, we hear each other and enjoyed their delightful food. Something for everyone - service great and ample street parking I hate to rave about this place as I like being able to get in - super Easter meal for all! read more

La Fontaine has been one of my favorite places in all of the Bay Area and is definitely the #1 spot on Castro Street that I recommend to friends and co-workers here in Mountain View. Even during the pandemic, this place delivers an awesome ambiance and really good food. I came on a Saturday night and was still seated very promptly, despite this place usually being very popular. The staff is always warm and professional, helping to make great recommendations and zooming around to deliver food/water/bread at lightspeed. I really appreciate they are all very friendly despite this place having a fancy vibe. I came with family and we got a couple appetizers, entree, and dessert. They had a good mix of easily shareable bites that made portioning things out easy (keeping this in mind for pandemic.) Everything was really good! We tried the octopus, which was tender and flavorful, mixed appetizer plate with prosciutto melon, bruschetta, and mozzarella/tomato, and I ordered the Pollo de Angelo which is a chicken and sun-dried tomato-filled pasta in a light cream sauce. We also got the tiramisu and chocolate cake which were perfectly fluffy and decadent. Good thing I came to this place hungry as hell, because I had to roll myself out of there after eating so much good food! As a nice note, the chef, Chef Hasan, came out to check with us and a few other tables about how things tasted and was also very nice in chatting with my whole family. That's a nice touch that really makes me feel like I'm at a thoughtful, neighborhood business that makes me feel at home. I really recommend bookmarking this spot for date night, family night, or feeling bougie with friends night. Now that I'm right by this place, I'm definitely going to grab food from here more! read more

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Had lunch date with hubby. Everything we ordered were delish and the staff were friendly and attentive. Ordered Smoked Salmon Crostini for apps followed by Mushroom Ravioli and Poulet Aux Champignons for main course. Then Panna cotta for desert to complete our lunch. Highly recommend! read more

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We popped in about 45 minutes before they closed to have crème brûlée - and it was SO yummy. We sat at the bar and chatted with the two closing staff members who were friendly and kind. The restaurant is in a great location and has a warm, rich feeling with great ambiance. Thank you! read more

Very Good surprise! On paper it doesn't look super fancy, has a French name but the menu is half Italian cuisine, with some typos in the menu... Yet everything was really good! From the cocktail (champagne based) & mocktail to the dessert (tiramisu), via appetizers and entrees, overall it's just the kind of French (or Italian) restaurant I love, not trying too hard to come up with really innovative dishes which end up disappointing as often as not, but hitting all the standards and doing then really well. read more