Le grand banquet — Restaurant in Paris

We have visited the restaurant Rural as part of a group of 30 people and witnessed probably the worst service in any restaurant so far. I can only assume that the interior decoration of the restaurant was designed by someone who has never left Paris but imagined, after consuming a selection of drugs, that this is what the countryside must look like: Random wooden boards attached to concrete walls at odd angles in front of chairs randomly decorated with sheepskin rugs. But let’s focus on the important aspects: It was quite difficult to order a glass of wine. After half of our table of eight guests managed to get one, I had the false hope that the rest of the table would also be asked whether they fancied a drink – but was disappointed. About fifteen minutes later I stood up and managed to convince a waiter to come back with me to the table to take orders. The remaining half of our table could thus order a glass of wine, yet we were not given any choice beyond white or red, although I would assume that they had more than one kind of white wine in their cellar. With some wine in the system, we were ready to experience the food. As a masterpiece of creativity, we were first served with lentil salad in a jar. Mine contained only half the amount of everyone else’s portion. When I asked the waiter whether I could also get a full portion, he seemed quite flabbergasted but served me a different jar. By the way, we thought this salad was the amuse-gueule, but it turned out to be the starter. Shortly after, the most impressive part of the evening came with the main dish. A waitress placed three pots in the middle of the table, one filled with mashed potatoes, one with leek, one with pieces of fish. When she left without further explanations, we wondered whether we would still receive any dedicated cutlery for serving the food. But there was none, and so it appeared to be the normal procedure that everyone at the table of eight uses his own cutlery to take the food from the pots. I guess this style of serving food could be excused at a mountain hut, after a few hours of hiking, but we are talking about a menu served in the center of Paris at a price of over 50 Euros. I can well imagine how the restaurant might attract some hipsters who’ve spent the last years going from one fancy restaurant to the other and who find it refreshing and crazy to go to a “rural” restaurant to imagine how poor people eat in provincial villages. But I guess for anyone who has actually been in a real rural restaurant during the last decade such a show is just ridiculous. In any case, I am happy to have chosen the fish because one person at the table took the vegetarian option which was so uninspired that it was hardly edible (for the same price). Finally, there was a cake buffet which brought a smile to most of the female faces but which by no means could make up for the disaster before. All in all, it was so bad that it would have been a funny experience if it hadn’t been for the price (60 Euros for the menu and two small glasses of mediocre wine). I’ll close with a comment on the food: The lentil salad would have tasted fine if eaten at a train station fast food parlor. The taste of the main dish was fine as well – because mashed potatoes naturally taste fine if you dump a pound of butter in it, there’s not much one can do wrong here. I could have prepared the same food at home, and it would have tasted more creative (and better). There was nothing wrong with the cake, though. In summary, I would just advise anyone who doesn’t want to serve himself to mediocre food, at a price for which you can buy the whole menu in a real rural restaurant, to...

FOOD ALLERGY- BE CAREFUL!!!!!! Being a celiac I need to choose the restaurant carefully, so I have asked manager if there is a safe food for me. After positive answer I’ve decided to order food. I was waiting 20 minutes for a waiter, and I’ve asked again which meal is ok for me to eat. The waiter recommended pumping soup and vegetables. Another 2O minutes waiting for a soup, which was really tasty. After 50 minutes waiting for my main dish I received the vegetables with something on the top of the dish looking like a crumbs, so- again, being a celiac I’ve asked again is it safe for me to eat it, the answer was yes absolutely. I was a bit suspicious but I’ve tried- at least 3 people told me I will be fine. Unfortunately it wasn’t true.The crumbs are made from nuts flour. On my stage of my health problem contact with gluten is making me ill almost straight away. When I asked waiter again he suddenly didn’t understand English! So I went to manager and I told her the story, she was in shock they gave me food with crumbs. Anyway, the last day of expensive conference I’ve spent being sick. Thank you restaurant and see you...

Sunday brunch was fantastic. Everything seemed home made. Amazing setting - inside a deconstructed barn / ranch house with all the modern amenities. A variety of charcuterie, fromages, scrambled (whipped, really) eggs in individual Mason jars, cheesy scalloped potatoes in individual casserole dishes, croissants and tiny pots of jam, and a bottle of freshly-squeezed multi-juice (several flavours in one) all served in a straw-lined basket at your table. A selection of breads at a central table and a huge selection of desserts at another. Incredibly enjoyable meal, topped by fantastic friendly service. Highly...