Moelleuses et Persillées - Restaurant de viande/steak house au Chartrons près de la Cité du Vin — Restaurant in Bordeaux

I feel bad leaving a poor score for this place…..but then again, maybe not. First of all you come here for the meat. It’s a steak only kind of place with french fries and a (tiny) green salad thrown in. It’s not fancy, there are no tablecloths, the tables are cheek to cheek, and it’s all a squeeze. All things fine and fun but the prices: wow!

The way it works is a waiter brings a tray of raw steaks and you choose which type you want, Wagyu, Australian etc. Then you order the meat. I think our French “Wagyu” was 35 € per 100 gm. So, a 500 gram cote de boeuf for 2 (really the only way you can order a steak here) set us back about £200.00 for the meat alone. At that price the meat better be very, very good. Unfortunately it was definitely not. Wagyu is supposed to be rich and tender. The Japanese always trim the outside fat of the meat because the meat itself is so rich and marbled extra fat detracts from the experience. The meat was not trimmed here. Wagyu is also supposed to be exceptionally tender. This was not. It was chewy and not particularly flavourful. So the meat, the reason to come here, simply is not very good. Very glad others had outstanding steaks but this was not our experience.

All that being said, our waitress was an absolute character and was great. The place is rowdy, loud and fun, and enjoyable. The wine was ok; nothing special. I think what left a negative impression, putting aside the steak, was the bringing of the raw steaks to the table. After listening to a few waiters recite the virtues of different cuts it struck me that the whole concept was a carnival shtick. The wait staff all had a pitch and sounded a bit like fairground barkers. Honestly, what can you tell about a steak by looking at it? Pretty much nothing at all. So why do it? Well, obviously it’s the theatre of it. That made me feel a bit stupid for going along with the tourist bait.

Dinner for two with wine and no cocktails or dessert was €385.00, which is about...

I am visiting Bordeaux from NYC, and this is by far, one of the best dining experiences of my life. The restaurant is beautiful, seamlessly blending a traditional and a modern feel with different items of decor without trying too hard. The food was a triumph! We had the scallops with chorizo, Foie Gras and Beef Tartare to start. All the appetizers were a delight for the senses, expertly seasoned, I closed my eyes while eating more times than I can remember. The main course, however, was the star of the show. We had a filet on a bed of potatoes a la dauphinoise, topped with Foie Gras, and with a sauce that was simply a miracle. The dish was a match made in heaven with the bottle of Saint-Julien that was recommended to us. Best steak dish I have ever had! But the star of the show was not the exquisite food, it was our server Emily. It is because of her, that this was one of the most memorable dining experiences I have ever had. She was a bubble of charm and happiness from the moment we walked into the restaurant, she made us feel like we were at home, and they were going to give us the time of our lives (which they did). She expertly helped us order and navigate the menu and wine list, while making us feel so special, even though she was incredibly busy with a full section. I must also give a shout out to the rest of the Moelleuses et Persillées. team who were all nothing but gracious and friendly. If you are in Bordeaux, do yourself a favor, and dine at Moelleuses...

Wonderful Léo at the door showed us to a table, but so much "happy to see you" felt like we were friends forever. When it starts this way, your hopes get up. A moment later, we were greeted by Alexa. Wow, what energy! She was fantastic. Her english was perfect & helped the non french speakers thru a vast menu. The dry aged beef vs- the Australian beef vs- the rich flavored Spain meat.... so much to think about, but Alexa said so much about each style of beef that we settled on a great meal. The Moelleuses & Persilles is a true beef house. Beautifully cooked & served. Maybe a better dressing and at least 1 tomato on the salad would have made it a salad, but we were there for the melt in your mouth beef. The Chateau Sainte-Marie Pomerol wine (the young 2020) was a superb choice with the beef. That wine was perfect & did not disappoint. ...