Topic
Topic ID 1166
07/12/2005 by Rooster
Cafe Rouge
Dobbin and I were lucky enough to dine at Cafe Rouge last night.
It was a superb meal (all three courses with wine, followed by coffee)
The service was impeccable and the bill was extemely reasonable, mainly due to us being given £20 manager's discount because the chef prepared the wrong lamb dish. We could have waited for the correct one, but we offered the wrong one as a free meal! It was delicious and not because it was free.
Only strange thing to happen was that the coffee arrived before the dessert!
Ratings out of 10
Service 10
Food 9 (Crepe Suzette was micro'd)
Value for money 9
Wine quality 9
Yes, we would return.
Replies
Reply ID 13408
08/12/2005 by pilchard
you'll find all is 'micro'd' at cafe rouge, unfortunately!
p
Reply ID 13409
08/12/2005 by Tigger
quote:
Originally posted by Rooster
Dobbin and I were lucky enough to dine at Cafe Rouge last night.
It was a superb meal (all three courses with wine, followed by coffee)
The service was impeccable and the bill was extemely reasonable, mainly due to us being given £20 manager's discount because the chef prepared the wrong lamb dish. We could have waited for the correct one, but we offered the wrong one as a free meal! It was delicious and not because it was free.
Only strange thing to happen was that the coffee arrived before the dessert!
Ratings out of 10
Service 10
Food 9 (Crepe Suzette was micro'd)
Value for money 9
Wine quality 9
Yes, we would return.
I think they have improved. Rememberance Sunday last year, obvious place to go for a cililised coffee/breakfast after the service. They were not geared yp for it. Hardly any customers and were poining people towards McDonalds for black coffee because it would be a 20 minute wait!!! Much better this year. BTW - for £2.50 worth of Tesco Clubcard vouchers you can get a £10 Cafe Rouge voucher. Obviously I will be visting to take advantage of this offer. (I'd go anyway)
Reply ID 13411
08/12/2005 by Steve
quote:
Originally posted by pilchard
you'll find all is 'micro'd' at cafe rouge, unfortunately!
Please substanciate this comment
Reply ID 13413
08/12/2005 by Ewoowar
quote:
Originally posted by pilchard
you'll find all is 'micro'd' at cafe rouge, unfortunately!
p
What? A steak bagette with fries?
Reply ID 13442
08/12/2005 by Rooster
quote:
Originally posted by pilchard
you'll find all is 'micro'd' at cafe rouge, unfortunately!
p
I don't think so!!!!
Reply ID 13505
11/12/2005 by pilchard
this is a chain restaurant with unskilled kitchen. almost all food is bought in preprepared. this is common knowledge, surely?
p
Reply ID 13511
11/12/2005 by Gary
I agree with you pilchard. Cafe Rouge is just like a Wetherspoon in that even the portions of veg are delivered part cooked and ready for the microwave.Obviously things like steaks will have to be grilled but Puritan Maid and Brake Brothers etc will see to everything else. I also thought it was common knowledge. Obviously not.
Reply ID 13549
12/12/2005 by SMH
The Scrambled eggs most definately are.
Reply ID 13557
12/12/2005 by Frenchie
Many chain restaurants & pubs source a lot of there produce from the same companies/suppliers as the ready foods sold in many of our our supermarkets. Apart from grilling some of the meats and the deepfrying, most is designed for the micro or re-heating in the oven.
Dont think the ease of serving up ready prepared foods has been missed by the companies looking to cut the biggest cost...ie...staff (skilled or otherwise)
The length/variety of some menu's that are available ALL day is often a give away...Cafe Rouge ?
Reply ID 15222
13/01/2006 by 2929paul
Just returned from Cafe Rouge. Reasonable meal but probably not full value for money. Wifey's steak frites was good but my rack of lamb with herb mash was average for the money.
On the plus side, the Merlot was very good and the service was absolutely excellent. Make a note under the service thread as well. Nice atmosphere (ambience?) for dining, although perhaps the lighting was a little bit on the dim side.
Reply ID 15229
14/01/2006 by wizkid
I can't see the point of going to a restaurant for microwaved food, go to the pub and microwave your own food when you get home. If I eat out it has to fulfill three criteria:-
1. I cannot cook it myself
2. It is unusual and therefore I haven't heard of it before.
3. It is better than anything I could do very simply.
This is where I think the Hillside socores its points. If you are going to eat out, make it good.
Reply ID 15237
14/01/2006 by 2929paul
I can assure you, the steak and the lamb were not microwaved. Nor was the merlot. I went there knowing how the food is prepared and happy that someone else was cooking it, setting the table, serving it and washing up afterwards. I didn't expect The Hillside but I still wanted value for money.
Sometimes, it's nice just to go out for a meal and a chat without all the hassle. If it was just about the best food available, I'd need to earn a lot more in order to go out and relax in the evenings.
Reply ID 15239
14/01/2006 by jez_p
quote:
Originally posted by 2929paul
I can assure you, the steak and the lamb were not microwaved. Nor was the merlot. I went there knowing how the food is prepared and happy that someone else was cooking it, setting the table, serving it and washing up afterwards. I didn't expect The Hillside but I still wanted value for money.
Sometimes, it's nice just to go out for a meal and a chat without all the hassle. If it was just about the best food available, I'd need to earn a lot more in order to go out and relax in the evenings.
2 very good valid points.
Sometimes it is nice to go out for a meal just so you don't have to prepare it yourself. This is especially good for a large group of friends or family that you would rather spend the time socialising with than cooking.
If you want to go out for a meal for a special reason/occasion then you might quite reasonably have higher expectations (and a larger bill at the end)
Obviously Cafe Rouge has a market else it would have closed down
13 replies