Charcuterie Platter Charcuterie Platter
Maison Francois

Maison Francois

34 Duke StreetSt James's, London, United Kingdom, SW1Y 6DF

Pub • Wine • French • Brunch


"Bit of mixed evening slow start and bad ending. BAR Great decor but perhaps as we came earliesh (5pm? was not fully staffed so had to flag down the server to take our order.  OK cocktails but nothing special.  No bar snacks.  We felt ignored.  FOOD  Absolutely great brasserie cuisine.  The chops especially nice as seasoned to perfection and sliced off the bone.  Fun retro (1980s desert trolley with drawers.  Again excellent food all around. WINE Charming sommelier who listened and recommended a surprisingly and smashing white!  STAFF Heaps of them but not sure they are very well organized.  Friendly but cater and pander (very very obviously to regulars and celebs.  Made us feel abit 2nd class honestly and we definitely were not the staff's priority.  DOG POLICY  None on website BUT a medium/large poodle nearby us was allowed and it barked and barked loud enough for the entire dining room to notice. The owner nor the staff took any proactive action to resolve this.  Our dessert course was absolutely ruined for 30 minutes.  We did mention to manager and he said he would look into the policy but did not take any action at the time.  We love animals but they belong at home not in a restaurant we paid nearly £300 for dinner!  Utterly unacceptable.  Per Covid this would never happen.  RECOMMENDED Absolutely NOT unless you are a dog lover, lesser royal, cast member of Made in Chelsea or a posh regular who lives round the corner "

Bouchon

Bouchon

4-6 Gilesgate Hexham, Northumberland NE46 3NJ, United Kingdom

Sushi • French • Casual • European


"I have dined at this restaurant on several occasions previously and had a very positive experience, which was the case again on this visit. The decor and ambience is very understated and elegant and the atmosphere is relaxed with friendly and motivated staff. On this occasion, I felt the service at the beginning was a little slow in terms of acquiring menus and taking orders. This was possibly due to multiple tables all ready to order at the same time, one main waiter that I could see, (there may have been more) and not wanting to overwhelm the kitchen. Having said that, both the waiter and Manager were very professional and attentive when you did require service. I had the 3 course set lunch menu which was great value, a high standard of cooking and a generous portion size. My friend chose from the al a carte menu and she declared that her roasted cauliflower dish was truly delicious, so full flavour and beautifully presented. We did not feel rushed during our visit having spent approximately 2 and half hours over lunch and the settlement of the bill was easy and correct. The restaurant is spotless as are the restrooms and it is very clear that the Manager and his team take great pride in making their clients experience a positively memorable one. This restaurant deserves it's many accolades and I would highly recommend it if you are looking for good authentic food and friendly service."