I really, really want to like this place but each time I visit, I leave disappointed…read more
In Summary:
- The service is slow
- The only way to get good service seems to be if you are a friend of the owner or the staff, or are a rugby player for Toulouse
- The food is good but generally not worth the price
I was very excited when La Compagnie Francaise opened. My husband and I booked a table for lunch (you almost always need to reserve for lunch or dinner). We were seated at a banquette table which is very common in France; however, I did feel like we were closer to our fellow diners than in other restaurants.
The menu offers pastas, pizzas, fish, and meat as well as starters and desserts.
On my first visit, I ordered a pizza. It was good - thin crust, good sauce, mozzarella - all that I require in a pizza. My husband had the veal which I didn't try (don't eat veal) but he said it was good. The portion seemed quite small for the price. The food was good but I wasn't blown away.
Determined to fall in love with this place, we returned in January. I ordered a pasta with shellfish and my husband ordered a pizza. I was very disappointed with the pasta dish. The pasta was overcooked, or at least, not the al dente I was expecting. The shellfish consisted of a few clams, and the sauce was a broth that didn't really add flavor to the dish. For 21 Euro, i expected more than a bowl of noodles and a few clams. My husband ordered a pizza that was good but was missing an ingredient. We ordered a dessert to share, but the food runner brought us two. We couldn't find the waiter to fix the mistake, so we just ate them both.
The third time we visited, we waited for a table on the terrace. The best thing about this place is the huge amount of outdoor seating they have. I ordered the risotto de jour which was a scallop risotto and my husband ordered pesto pasta. The risotto was cooked perfectly but I was disappointed with the lack of scallops - maybe two or three on the dish. The pesto pasta was good but extremely simple for the price.
The fourth, and most recent time we again sat on the terrace. I ordered the plat du jour which featured fish, scallops, shrimp and clams. My husband ordered the tuna. Again, the food was good but not worth the price. The table next to us ordered the same dish as me, but theirs had a component that mine was missing. It was also frustrating that the table next to us, who got their meal after us, had their empty plates cleared before we did.
We did try to have a drink and order a pizza one evening around 6:30pm. We sat at a table on the terrace and waited for the server. He came and we ordered two glasses of wine. He said they couldn't serve wine outside without a food order. We asked if we could order a pizza and he said it was too early and, rudely, that it wasn't a pizzeria. I decided not to point out the sign behind him that advertised continuous service and pizzas to go all day long.
I'm sure I will eat here from time to time as it is close to my husband's work but there are many other places that offer better food, better prices, and better service.