There is an understanding when you review a restaurant that you turn up at the right one. Sadly, on Friday night I was supposed to review Café Rouge in the Trafford Centre and turned up at the Cheshire Oaks branch instead.
Cafe Rouge at Cheshire Oaks
With that said when you arrive at a restaurant and the staff are not expecting to be placed under the spotlight, you are able to witness a very honest snapshot of their service.
We were greeted by Claire who showed us to our booth. We were about half an hour earlier than planned however, she didn't make us wait and let us sit down right away.
The restaurant itself had a fascinating décor- drawing on all of the classically French associations- food, wine and fashion. There bottles of wine, shoes and perfume bottles lining the shelves of the partition wall between the front and back of the restaurant and even a lamp that was also wire mannequin.
The walls were lined with old Vogue magazine covers and the signature red adorned the leather seats which complemented the dark wood of the floor and furniture. There was even a large perfume poster on our table-top covered in glass- it was very chic indeed.
We were served by Heather who took our drinks orders and let us have a look at the menu over some Fougassee A L'ail- Artisan garlic sharing bread with warm garlic butter and Rouge Olives- House olives with caper berries and Roquito chillies.
The bread was beautifully shaped in what could only be described as a large leaf, leant on its side in a mini crate with the dipping sauce on the side ready to tear apart. The olives made a delightful change as they were intermingled with the Roquito olives and pickled garlic, which gave a bite but also a spiciness against the soft flesh of the olives. Claire was particularly interested to find out what we thought as she confessed she could eat the chillies one after the other! I was not so brave but was surprised by how mild the garlic was- definitely not a date spoiler if you want a cheeky kiss at the end of the night!
As the menu featured new dishes it was important we tried those and Heather knew exactly which were the new additions and which were long standing favourites so although it's not clearly marked on the menu- just ask a member of staff.
I didn't even have to offer the fact I am a vegetarian, she asked before giving us the menus and recommended her favourite dish which was the Tarte- Warm beetroot and goat's cheese in shortcrust pastry with house salad and Soupe Au Pistrou- Seasonal vegetable soup with pesto on the side and baked bread to start.
I took her recommendation for the starter but as I am not a huge fan of goats cheese I opted for the Risotto Vert- Courgettes, petits pois, fresh basil, tomatoes and mint with lemon dressed pea shoots.
I have to confess I have never had pesto with soup before but it was lovely to be able to dip the bread in that first before dunking it into the warm soup. I liked it so much I mixed it in with the rest of the dish once I had eaten all the bread. Definitely, something I will be trying at home!
The risotto was creamy and light and the mint and lemon dressed pea shoots gave the whole dish a freshness and zing.
Heather did mention I could have had one of the meat dishes- like the pasta just without the chicken so if you see something you like but not all elements- the chefs are willing to tweak it to fit in with your preferences.
My partner had the Camembert- Warm breaded Camembert with cranberry and redcurrant sauce to begin with . I had a sneaky little bite- the cheese oozed out of the breadcrumbs and the sauce brought a sweet and sticky texture and taste to every bite. There was just enough too as cheese can be very weighty if you have it in large quantities.
My husband is the furthest thing from a vegetarian had the 5oz 'Minute' Rump Steak. He normally has the peppercorn sauce however, Heather recommended the Bordelaise gravy with bone marrow and fries. He was very impressed- although the steak was thin he said it was perfectly cooked and he confessed the sauce was the poshest gravy he had ever eaten! Heather told us that the steak is of the same quality as those used in Michelin star restaurants- in other worlds it's jolly good in quality.
For dessert, my hubby ordered the Parfait- Frozen salted caramel cream with malted pecan crumb and fresh raspberries.
I had the Petits Truffles- Three salted caramel truffles. Both desserts were light and just enough after two previous courses. It was like Easter all over again for me- the truffles had a delightful bite to them before the salted caramel melted in my mouth.
Although my husband originally wanted the Tarte Au Citron, he didn't regret trying something different for once. If you feel well fed at the end of your meal- rest assured that either of these desserts are perfect to satisfy your sweet tooth without making you feel uncomfortably full.
I didn't know until the meal was over that the staff were not expecting us, however all the way through I thought they did because both Heather and Claire were very attentive, approachable and their knowledge was impeccable.
I didn't have a drink as I was driving but Heather knew exactly what wine went with which dish and I heard her offer a lady on the table next to us a more fitting glass of wine with her order as she wasn't sure what to have.
Listening to them with the other diners it was obvious that they have an exceptionally high standard of service- always- not just when they are under review.
Claire shared with us that that they have many regulars who know what to expect when they come and that is testament to not only the food but the high standard of service. I understand why people keep going back and I will be returning the next time when visit Cheshire Oaks.
Thank you to Claire and Heather for making our Friday night such a wonderful experience and for being so understanding over my rather embarrassing mistake.
Tagged in Vegetarian