Lyon | Left Me Baffled by Its "Creativity"

📍 17 rue Hippolyte-Flandrin, Lyon, 69001 The restaurant’s ambiance is generally pleasant—cozy, with a relaxed vibe that should set the stage for a nice meal. But the service? Let’s just say it left a lot to be desired. We arrived first, sat down, and waited a full 10 minutes before anyone bothered to help us—because they prioritized serving the two French tables that walked in after us. 😅 To add to the frustration: when we called to book (a week in advance), we mentioned wanting to open a specific wine from their list that night, only to be told it was sold out. Yet when we arrived, another sommelier said it was available—just required 24 hours’ notice to open in advance. 😠 And to top it off, they overcharged us for a bottle of water on the bill—we caught it and got a refund, but still. 🍽️ This place is a "mystery box" experience—no menu, and the ingredients used are pretty run-of-the-mill. Here’s how it went: Amuse-bouche: A bowl of mushroom soup with fancy carvings but zero flavor; various herbs dipped in a weird green sauce; and a flaky pastry loaded with so much cheese it bordered on overwhelming. 🥗 Beetroot stack: Beetroot piled on beetroot, with an intense, earthy taste that felt like biting into wet soil. 🌮 Cheese soufflé: A fluffy soufflé made with different cheeses—probably the most palatable dish of the night. 🐟 Fish (name forgotten): A white fish, simply cooked and decently flavored—nothing memorable, but fine. 🥩 Venison: Tender enough, with a gamey edge that worked, though nothing special. 🎃 Pumpkin sorbet: Bland, with a faint pumpkin taste that didn’t land. 🥕 Dessert No. 1: A carrot-shaped dessert… stuffed with raw carrot. 😅 The "creativity" here felt forced and unpleasant. 🍄 Dessert No. 2: Raw mushroom with coffee. One bite left me feeling queasy all night. 😇 Petit four: A crispy, creamy-sweet biscuit dusted heavily with cumin. I took a bite, froze, and chugged two big sips of wine to recover—still couldn’t shake the weirdness. There was also a sourdough ice cream (confusing) and a passion fruit candy that was the only "normal" item—though so tart it made my cheeks pucker.😊 To give credit where it’s due: their sauces were actually well-made. The French couple at the next table mopped up every drop with bread—waiters brought out bread at least four times, and that guy polished off every crumb. Respect for the appetite, though. 👍 💰 €82 per person #Lyon #MichelinRecommended #Restaurants #LyonRestaurants #CreativeCuisine