Let's start with service and my usual test. Yep, you guessed, my usual stress test of rolling in one hour before closing. Why, well because it's my life and honestly I'm in France so can't really complain. The wait staff did great, a little slow off the draw but no harm no foul. They really did a good job of just enough interaction while not making you wait too long. My food came quickly, and no hint of issues, solid service.
Food quality, mostly good. The beer was on par with other semi chain places I've eaten at, good but not great. I can't say if this is a chain or local gastro pub but it has a chain feel.
Beers - The blonde was actually my favorite, I would drink a full glass of that again as it was a close second the a good Belgium ale but a bit lighter. The amber was next up and was reasonable, good flavor but still subtle and light. The white was forgettable and the cherry white was interesting, not the combo I would normally choose but good, save that for a dessert.
Speaking of dessert - The crème brûle was well a bit of let down given the fact I was in the crème brûlee mother country. Not bad but nothing to write home about. Frankly with crème brûle there are so few ingredients that you've got to nail it. To make great crème brûlée you have to have top notch ingredients and love them into place. To make truly great crème brûlée you have to be on a first name basis with the chickens, know the Cain farmer's family history, take lunch with his grandmother once a year and pick up your vanilla beans on the trip home from the family that's been growing them since time began. Let's just say this wasn't that, not terrible but underwhelming. Yes, it's a curse of eating things at restaurants you make well but c'est la via.
All in all, respectable beers and a nice place with good service, skip the crème brûlée and you're in good shape. read more