The Common Room at Le Quartier Français 

Food:

Displaying once again that they're the masters of redesigning their offering and keeping things fresh and lively, the LQF team have abandoned bistro and adopted tapas with their usual verve and flair. The more casual venue of the critically-acclaimed Tasting Room, the Common Room still sets an admirably high standard and everything is priced individually – and reasonably, averaging around R20 to R35 per dish. There's an extensive listing of bite-sized nibbles served in delightfully diminutive dishes from cup-a-soup to a risotto with fresh waterblommetjies, new season broad beans and buffalo labne and not overlooking the flat koek, lamb frikadelletjies and raita which provides a nod to the establishment's former signature dish, the lamb burger. Even the olives, roasted in a wood-fired oven are fantastic while the handcut chips served in a cornet twist which were pretty impressive on their own, were elevated to 'food of the gods' status when accompanied by a buchu béarnaise. Their roast (organic, free-range) chicken for two still encourages people to drive for miles! The fish pops and chakalaka ketchup... fried Parmesan gnocchi... crispy smoked pork riblets with roasted garlic... had them all and am still raving!

Wine:

Probably one of the best and most comprehensive wine lists around – and with not just a profusion of choices but with great value options too.

Service:

Ultra-professional, well-trained, unobtrusive and on top of their game.

Ambience:

Relaxed and welcoming, be it outside on the garden terrace, inside with its warm ochre-hued walls or on the street-side verandah.

And...:

.... save room for dessert – or lipsmackers as the menu lists them – especially the tart but unbelievably gorgeous self saucing white chocolate and granadilla pudding. You'll have to wait 20 minutes but it's SO worth it. (FM, October 2010)

Lisa D
22-Mar-2012

Loved the unpretentiousnes of the place and the food are little dishes of heaven. Inventive and delicious.

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Mark Saunders
18-Nov-2011
What we like about this place is you can eat as much or as little as you like, because all portions are served snack sized. Surprisingly, the professional service isn’t pretentious or stuffy.

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