~ Rustic dining and great food ~
Wandering along Grand Case is fun any time of year. You can peep into so many fabulous restaurants and see the sea, check out the happy faces of diners and absorb the waft of the amazing cooking smells that will tantalize the taste bud.
Which restaurant will you choose? It is fun is to read all the menus at the door to see what captures your fancy and what to look for on the menu. Are restaurants that are full of patrons really that good, while the emptier ones do not serve such good food?
The night we went out for dinner, we decided we were going to look for a quieter place at which to eat. We parked in the large car park and started our wandering along the road. Not far past the bridge, we spotted Le Cave de Charly. The menu posted outside looked good, although the restaurant was totally empty. The interior was rather rustic with a large temperature-controlled wine room, wooden floors, high bar tables and bar stools as well as the more regular type tables and chairs.
We were met at the door by a very friendly man who welcomed us in. After we had chosen our seats, he brought us our menus and drinks. I had ordered a “pink” naturally but did not like the glass I had, so without any fuss he offered me wine from another bottle. This wine was excellent, not as sweet as the first, lovely and buttery – just what the doctor had ordered! The cellar had a large choice of good wines.
The tables were set in red and black and were unadorned as is fitting in such a rustic place. After perusing the menu and specials board, we both mentioned that the prices seemed very reasonable – almost too good to be true. The large floor area seemed to call for a large crowd to enjoy themselves at the theme parties that we heard the owners do on occasion. It looked like a great place for celebratory occasions.
We shared the starter, a simple foie grass with caramelized onions that was quite delightful. Our lovely waiter, who may also be the chef, let slip the “special ingredient” that makes this delicious onion confit. Next time, we declared, we’d each order our own as a main!
Our mains were very different. I like it when we choose very different dishes when we go out as we then get to taste each other’s dish. That’s what dining is all about – a little bit of sharing here and there! My date had pasta with shrimp off the menu; I had one from the specials board, “Margriet de Canard sauce au cêpes.”
The pasta serving was huge, the shrimp tender and very plump and the sauce was a treat. This lovely dish was almost too much for one person. The duck breast arrived a tad over cooked. I think I must have been the fault with my ordering as I had said “medium … ah ... medium rare.” Yes, it came medium; I should have ordered it rare. However, the taste was sublime, the very good sauce paired well with the mashed potatoes and there was none left.
We shared dessert, a gooey-centred warm chocolate cake with vanilla ice-cream – a fitting end to a good homely meal – and gleefully accepted the offered rum shot that comes at the end of the meal; the French have so many things right!
Info:
Le Cave de Charly
Wine Bar and Bistrot
Grand Case
Phone: +590 590 29 04 15
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Cuisine: French
Price range: $
Ratings:
Staff friendliness: ****
Service speed: ****
Restaurant cleanliness: ****
Food quality: ****
Value for money: ****
Ambience: Rustic ****
