COUQLEY — Restaurant in Rmeil

I visited this place a few years back on a discovery attempt. Upon arrivel the hostess measured us up and identified us as non regulars and as a party of 2 not worth being seated anywhere decent so we were given a table in the furthest corner of the place near the kitchen exit just across from a make-shift cooling unit which they had seemed to place there and that was making a constant whirring sound. As we sat down we noticed the AC vent over the bar facing us on the left was dripping water on the bar and in front of it, so much for that French atmosphere which they so hard try to PR-shove down people's throats. Getting a waiter to notice us, being given a menu and making our order was an ordeal and the dishes were served in haste, as in the guy placed the dishes on the table while looking elsewhere (perhaps there was a good tipping table on the floor we did not know about). Even asking for the check involved waiting 10 minutes! The food was good though, not exceptional like some would want you to...

Although my home is in the south of France and I consider France as my home, I have lived in Dubai for 10 years ... I experienced this great French bistro for the first time on my last trip to Beirut a couple weeks ago, and I was so impressed with the great French food, that I organized to come back a day earlier for a meeting I have tomorrow, just to be able to go for a great lunch at this restaurant. No joke. I flew in a day earlier than scheduled just to be able to eat a nice long lunch at Couqley. I was not disappointed. From my two experiences, the food quality is exceptional. I have to say this is probably the best French restaurant (definitely the best French bistro) I have experienced in this region ... and I have tried most if not all the top-rated French restaurants throughout Beirut, Jordan, Qatar, Dubai, Abu Dhabi, etc. Awesome, awesome meal. I had the french onion soup - exceptional. the escargot was perfect but the star of my meal is the duck confit. I highly recommend Couqley...

We went to couqley thinking we were going to enjoy our steak et frites dish and my personal favorite out of all the starters: poelee de champignons. First the AC was directed to the tables for two which made things uncomfortable, and once we informed them the lady who is responsible for the reservation sitting next to the door was rude. After we had the starter the mushroom and the sauce were good but the pastry that comes with it was not fresh. The steak et frites that we ordered medium well came rare with a bunch of blood stains that were visible on the sauce which was so thick that we felt it was inedible. They offered us another one but we were already disgusted with the food quality so we’d rather eat somewhere else, then we asked for the bill which in fact although we did not eat the rare steak and informed them of the mushroom starter, came without any deduction of the inedible items. After i stated that i will make a bad review then they decided to do a 10% on the final amount after i...