Restaurant La Fruitière Cuisine Gourmande — Restaurant in Annecy

UPDATED: The owner gave a hilarious response to this review, which bizarrely confirms the points in my review. I have pasted at the bottom of my review. (in English). If this is the way the owner behaves, then I’m not surprised the staff can be so surly. Perhaps the good reviews are from the nights the owner hasn’t been into the restaurant!

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I would not recommend this place to anyone.

Firstly the staff were rude from the minute we arrived. Greeted us with disdain and gestured vaguely to a table we could have.

We had made an advance reservation, which stated we had 3hrs before 2nd sitting. We also had noted in the reservation that one person couldn’t eat gluten or dairy. Just under two hours into our booking, our waiter came over and said “you have to go - there’s another table that wants this table” and stared at us as if expecting us to walk out immediately. I was horrified.

When I asked the waiter what could be served without gluten or dairy he scowled at me and shook his head and said “nothing.” I said “not the duck? Or the fish?” He rolled his eyes and shook his head, then left. He came back and pointed to a couple of things on the menu and said I could have them, but was so rude about it. Please note, this was not a language issue. He was fluent in English.

My boyfriend and I did enjoy the seabass tartare - it was very fresh and delicate, and my boyfriend said the reblochon pasta was very tasty, hence the two star review instead of one! His main was “meh”. I had the duck, which I believe had been hung too long as it was very strong and gamey in flavour. It was also overcooked, so was like eating leather.

Also… The menus are old and sticky and covered in plastic. They look like they’re from an old, decrepit diner. Not the fine dining restaurant they claim to be.

Oh and their Vin Chaud… it’s literally just wine heated up - probably in the microwave. No spice or additional flavour. I didn’t think it was possible to go wrong with vin chaud, but this place proved me wrong!

There are so many other beautiful restaurants in exactly the same price range in La Clusaz, with the most wonderful staff. Don’t waste your time going to this one. Honestly, if the staff hadn’t been so unpleasant I wouldn’t have bothered with a review. Perhaps they were having a bad night, because there’s so many other good reviews, but still, it was pretty unpleasant. It’s not nice to go to a restaurant and feel like you’re not wanted from the minute you arrive. And chewy overcooked, over hung duck is no one’s cup of tea!

Side note: every other place we visited in La Clusaz, over our week there, whether it be a restaurant, cafe, shop or hotel, got a 5 star review from us, so that gives some indication as to how unpleasant our experience here was.

———— Owners response:

And there it is….I thought I had sorted out this clientele who thinks they know everything about catering but who in fact know nothing at all!!! Well no we welcomed again this winter…….the proof is in your comment without any basis or truth!! Know dear Madam that you are here in my home and when you pass through the doors of my restaurant you accept my rules. If this is not the case, I will be happy to direct you to many gourmet restaurants that we are not. For everyone's sake, take the time to choose your restaurant according to your desires and please don't choose the wrong establishment. We are a bistro and not a gastro and you have the service, quality and price to match. One last little thing, I advise you to work on your palate and come back to see us when it knows how to recognize good...

L'accueil est important ,enfin à mon avis , ce qui explique les 3 étoiles , arrivés en retard , nous avons présenté nos excuses à notre arrivée , le serveur nous répond très sèchement qu'il 'ne nous attendait plus , passé 1/4 d 'heure , il ne garde pas les tables ! Ok , la salle n'est pas remplie, il reste des tables , peut être sont elles réservées ... Il nous dit "attendez 10 minutes" et repart à ses occupations, il passe et repasse devant nous, au bout de 5 minute , il nous dit d'aller nous installer au fond et nous montre les tables il y en a 2 , en bord de terrasse . j'ai un vague sentiment de 'punition' , il nous a fait attendre debout dans l'entrée parce qu'on le méritait !Nous y allons et nous nous installons. Il vient à notre table nous montre un flash code pour obtenir la carte et disparaît! ( ?!) pas d'iphone = pas de repas ? ! Nous sommes 5 et seul une personne à son IPhone! on se passe le téléphone, je n'ai pas mes lunettes, on se fait la lecture .....Le serveur revient presque aussitôt pour nous demander si nous avons choisi !! Je lui demande comment on fait lorsqu'on n'a pas d 'IPhone.Il répond :"on a des cartes , il faut juste me la demander! " Donc je la lui demande , il la ramène en précisant , qu'il ne devrait pas à cause du Covid (ok, et les corbeilles de pain? et les bouteilles? Ailleurs ils ont un tableau qu'il déplace ou des cartes posées sur les tables avec du gel ) Le même que celui que nous avions utilisé obligatoirement à notre arrivée dans le restaurant , comme partout . Je lui parle de mon allergie et je me permets de préciser que c'est assez grave (en fait elles sont mortelles) il m'interrompt : "comme toutes les allergies ! " , (genre : ne te crois pas exceptionnelle )absolument , mais j'ose un ; ce n'est pas toujours pris au sérieux' il répond tout aussi sèchement : 'he,bien ici, si! " j'en suis très heureuse alors' et je commande. L'eau et le pain ont été oublié. ..On a eu l'impression que vraiment il n'attendait ,avec espoir ,plus personne ce soir et que nous l'avions bien contrarié. Nous ne sommes jamais en retard, nous avons eu un léger contretemps, nous allions lui demander si cela était encore possible de manger malgré notre retard, mais il a coupé net la conversation et nous a laissé en plan dans le hall, ensuite son ton agacé, sa façon de nous indiquer vaguement des tables au fond façon :débrouillez vous ,était assez déplaisant. Les plats étaient excellents et bien présentés. Nous ne sommes pas restés à table bien longtemps une fois terminé, même si des personnes venaient d'arriver à la table voisine. Il semblerait que dans des endroits touristiques, quelque soit la situation, ils n'ont , eux, pas de problème a avoir des clients, alors pourquoi être aimable ?Nous réitérons nos excuses pour le retard et , promis, nous ne...

We had a fabulous meal here this last weekend. A birthday meal between girls and we were all amazed with the food and the friendliness of the staff. We all chose the menu at 48€ and enjoyed every bit of it. From the amazing steak tartare amuse-bouche that we can't stop talking about (not one of us would have chosen this as it's not our type of food, but it was fabulous) to the fresh desserts. The food was excellent and the servings perfect. We left, nicely full but not unable to move. I would definitely recommend...