Le Gavroche Blaye Restaurant / Brasserie — Restaurant in Blaye

We decided to get off our Viking cruise and venture into town. Like getting away, definitely from the boat, but even more from tourist traps. Those are here in Blaye. I can’t blame them. They get more business that way but we actually like going where there is no English translation and where we need to try a bit more. If you are like us this is the place for you. We got no accommodations. We asked about English when we entered. There was the abrupt French NO. But we understood that and stayed put. The guy came back. We asked for two, in French, and were shown to a table where we waited and waited and waited. We were about to quietly leave since every single table that came after us, at least three, were served their drinks and food before we were even served water. We were patient. I encourage you to be. We tried our best to perfect our French and when he finally returned we ordered in French. He got a little friendlier. The food was amazing. The chef is to be commended. We would return. The last bit was being charged for three Perrier even though he only brought us two. He never brought the third. We tried, in French, to explain. He laughed and did nothing but bring us the check with a charge for three which we never received. In fact he laughed each time we attempted to ask. We finally simply paid it. You should too. They are mostly playing with you and attempting to make you a fool but I can say the food is worth it and as Americans perhaps we deserve it. You will get a great meal. Be brave. If you aren’t. You can literally simply walk up the lane about 100 feet. Many places just 100 yards away are willing to play the game but I don’t think you will eat as well. And truthfully. We need to try to walk that extra 100 feet. It will cause stress and anxiety which they believe we deserve and we probably do. If I ever return to Blaze I...

Impeccable service throughout and that’s where it ends. We shared an ambitious starter of goat’s cheese with tomato sorbet. It’s not there yet but promises to be good once perfected. We both ordered entrecôte steaks one rare the other medium rare. They weren’t entrecôte steaks in our view as they had copious amounts of sinew and fat. I left half of mine as it was inedible. Anyway the staff offered to replace my wife’s with a rump steak, tasteless as it turned out. Chips and salad were good but the cooked vegetables were unusual in flavour and didn’t go with what was on the plate. I should have sent my steak back too but didn’t. Lovely setting and...

J'avoue je vais être méchant. Nous nous sommes fiés aux bonnes critiques trouvées sur Google et Michelin, et quelle a été nôtre déception!! Deco: tentatives de faux chic, digne de Castorama, dans une salle froide, ressemblant à de la cuisine collective, pas pour les clostrophobes. Accueil: correcte mais sans plus. Service: médiocre sans aucune authenticité ni chaleur, aucune conseil sur la carte et les vins. Cuisine: entrée: spécialité locale, les greniers de quelques chose ou autre, était sans intérêt, mais surtout était une charcuterie à base de tripes de porc. Le porc avait été spécifié. Les tripes non! Plats: paupiettes de veau, champignons, carotte et frites... cuisinée à l'eau de mer. Extrêmement salés! Le veau une consistance de purée, les champignons en conserve, les carottes surgelées. Desserts: tarte au poire au chocolat (le chocolat pas précisé). J'imagine du surgelé aussi, sans intérêt avec une crème anglaise industrielle. Le tout avec deux cafés et deux verres de vin (supérieur??) pour 47€. Rapport qualité prix pas bon.

On se considère pourtant peu exigeants, et habituellement prêt à dire tout le bien qu'on pense, mais à cause de toute ces bonnes critiques nous nous sentons obligé de dire que ce n'était pas bon! Peut-être qu'on est tombé sur le mauvais jour, mais c'était pas bon ni chaleureux ni pas cher ni fidèle aux critiques ci...