Our punter says...

The staff seem friendly but stressed, rushing through the narrow spaces between the tables looking panicked. “The kitchen is very busy today,” apologised our waiter, arriving 15 minutes after we were seated. Our drink order was forgotten until we asked again 30 minutes later. An allergy mention was dismissed with “but you’re okay with traces?” and then forgotten. Dishes arrived with no description – except a main of steamed brioche pudding with lamb and carrots. “This is this”, mumbled the waiter. I thought I misheard, but he repeated: “This [pointing to a pot of sauce] goes with this… I think.”

Cold bread lacking in flavour made for a poor welcome. Camembert fondue was gooey and rich but too few buttery croissant crisps came with it. The caramelle pasta parcels arrived lukewarm, with a bland ricotta filling and a sour-bitter tomato sauce. The puff pastry of the millefeuille was limp, held together with thick layers of chicken liver mousse that resembled a mass-produced pâté – blunt, dense and an overwhelming liver flavour. The candied mandarin alongside was sweet and tart but brown butter ‘dust’ again lacked the promised flavour. A giant vol-auvent with mushrooms and chicken, and the aforementioned brioche pudding, were classic comfort food: the former packed with umami flavours, the latter served with smooth, creamy potato mash and sweet carrots. Venison pithivier was “unavailable” when we tried to order it at 6:30pm but appeared on the table next to us two hours later.

Desserts are “for 2-3” to share, with no options for lone diners. The crème caramel could serve four. Peppered with vanilla seeds, it had a silky texture with the right balance of sweetness and slight caramel bitterness.