Le Gourmand -
We recently went to Le Gourmand with a large group of 12 people. This is the second time we've been there with a large group. The first time the experience was less than stellar.
I don't understand the other reviewers in this list. Have you been to a French restaurant? Or are you giving 5 stars because you don't want to offend?
The Food
There is something gormless about the dishes in this restaurant. The menu makes them look good, but once in front of you all you see there is a piece of meat swimming in some glutinous sauce. Then as an after thought a tray of veggies are tossed on the table. Does the Chef even show up for work? All the dishes look the same: pieces of meat in a plate full of sauce.
Sure the sauce is good but it doesn't match the meat. I had salmon. The sauce was really heavy, too heavy for Salmon an already heavy fish, pairing it with a rich heavy sauce is just stupid.
My neighbor had a beef dish. The meat's flavor was drowned under some super rich almost sweet sauce. The beef's flavor was lost in there.
My appetizer was blintzes, man they were disappointing. It was a large thick pancake folded into a clunky square with a little node of cheese in it. Then drowned in some thick glutinous sauce. Yuck.
I just didn't even bother with desert. It would probably have put a miserable cap on a desultory meal.
The Wine
The Sommelier was a little pushy, but that's forgivable, wine is so subjective that you have to push a little to get people to try new stuff. He helped us pick two pretty good wines at a decent price. We got a southern French chard and the other St Emillion.
The Service.
At least the wait service improved since the last time I went. The smarmy waitress we had to suffer the first time we were there was replaced by an alumni from Le Pichet. She was good, cool and knowledgeable. I don't care for obsequious waiters.
The kitchen failed again by doling out the food in a hap-hazard way. When in a good place, I expect everyone at the table to be served at the same time. I waited more than 5 minutes with my plate in front of me waiting for the people around me to be served. That just makes for unpleasant dining experience.
Ambience
The dining room is really nice. Simple and beautiful. The building itself is surrounded by herbs and other plants. Nice.
Bottom Line
For that price, go somewhere else. Nell's or Le Pichet perhaps.
I don't understand the other reviewers in this list. Have you been to a French restaurant? Or are you giving 5 stars because you don't want to offend?
The Food
There is something gormless about the dishes in this restaurant. The menu makes them look good, but once in front of you all you see there is a piece of meat swimming in some glutinous sauce. Then as an after thought a tray of veggies are tossed on the table. Does the Chef even show up for work? All the dishes look the same: pieces of meat in a plate full of sauce.
Sure the sauce is good but it doesn't match the meat. I had salmon. The sauce was really heavy, too heavy for Salmon an already heavy fish, pairing it with a rich heavy sauce is just stupid.
My neighbor had a beef dish. The meat's flavor was drowned under some super rich almost sweet sauce. The beef's flavor was lost in there.
My appetizer was blintzes, man they were disappointing. It was a large thick pancake folded into a clunky square with a little node of cheese in it. Then drowned in some thick glutinous sauce. Yuck.
I just didn't even bother with desert. It would probably have put a miserable cap on a desultory meal.
The Wine
The Sommelier was a little pushy, but that's forgivable, wine is so subjective that you have to push a little to get people to try new stuff. He helped us pick two pretty good wines at a decent price. We got a southern French chard and the other St Emillion.
The Service.
At least the wait service improved since the last time I went. The smarmy waitress we had to suffer the first time we were there was replaced by an alumni from Le Pichet. She was good, cool and knowledgeable. I don't care for obsequious waiters.
The kitchen failed again by doling out the food in a hap-hazard way. When in a good place, I expect everyone at the table to be served at the same time. I waited more than 5 minutes with my plate in front of me waiting for the people around me to be served. That just makes for unpleasant dining experience.
Ambience
The dining room is really nice. Simple and beautiful. The building itself is surrounded by herbs and other plants. Nice.
Bottom Line
For that price, go somewhere else. Nell's or Le Pichet perhaps.
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