Le Jardin — Restaurant in Utrecht

A beautiful place on first impressions: cosy and welcoming with stylish decorations and lovely plants all over. We were seated at a table in the conservatory area towards the back and were looking forward to a treat of an evening. It was a little surprising to be asked for a drinks order without a menu, even when I'd asked for a drinks menu but we ordered blind without knowing the full range of drinks choices or indeed prices. The menu concept was explained and we all went for the 5 course tasting menu and we were asked if we had any dislikes or intolerances. The amuse bouche arrived first and it was a beautifully presented little morsel. The next course followed closely after: a carrot based dish. We were asked if we wanted more drinks but still not offered a wine list. The wine delivered was lovely however and explained to us. A further course followed based on peas. Very tasty, very pretty, small but perfectly formed! The main course option was based on aubergine which is not my favourite so I went with the broccoli alternative which was just that, pretty basic broccoli. The others enjoyed their aubergine but it wasn't anyone's favourite course. The finale was a strawberry based dish enhanced with wasabi, a strange combination that kind of worked. It's definitely a treat meal kind of price at the top price range and the appearance of the dishes definitely matched that. However, spending that kind of money I'd have hoped a d expected more from the finesse of the service and taste of the main dish which has been part of a fine dining establishment when we've visited this level of restaurant elsewhere. However, for an absolute treat of a vegetarian meal I'd definitely recommend you to visit to see what...

While this restaurant presents several positive aspects, it unfortunately fell short of my expectations. It is notably overpriced, considering its offerings (this is why I gave 2 instead of 3 stars). The concept of the meal consists of 5 surprise dishes, exclusively vegetable-based (a concept I initially found appealing due to the lack of a traditional menu). However, it disappointingly lacked other vegan ingredients, such as beans, legumes, or starchy foods. As a result, I found myself simultaneously full and yet unsatisfied.

The first two vegetable-centric dishes appeared creative, but by the third dish, a sense of repetition set in as the main ingredients were simply swapped out. I tasted a uniform intensity of vinaigrette-based flavor across all dishes. The monotonous flavor profile further diminished the appeal of the offerings.The cost, approximately 140 euros for two people to eat a modest portion of vegetables (which are typically low-cost ingredients), struck me as extraordinary. I appreciate that the price might reflect fine dining techniques and presentation, but the standard of these elements did not seem high enough to justify the cost. Furthermore, the limited creativity after the third dish and the imbalance in nutritional factors added to my disappointment.

On the bright side, the waitstaff were pleasant and the ambiance in the square was lovely. Despite these factors, I regretfully left feeling 'starved'.

P.S. After years living in France, and I'm just speculating here, but this restaurant's "French" label might leave actual French folks more 'baguette-beaten' than...

This is a lovely dining spot, with outdoor seating under the trees, so even at the height of summer, it was comfortable. There were eight of us, and the restaurant acomodated every request, from allergy issues to a sudden addition to our party. The food was, indeed, excellent, and once we'd explained that we wanted some fish or other protein with the vegetables, it was no problem. There's also a plant store attached, and wonderful displays of plants and small trees. I particularly liked the mandarin oranges growing in a large pot along the walkway into the indoor portion of the restaurant. If I had one quarrel, it would be that all the food was a bit "precious". I don't know how to explain it better than that. Perhaps they're hoping for a Michelin rating? It looked lovely, it tasted fine, but it was not extraordinary - just good. And, it was quite expensive - for a party of eight, at lunch, with no liquor, the basic menu, cost was well over 300 EU. I'm sorry but that seems like quite a bit for a 3 course meal that was almost all vegetables, no matter how beautiful or well harvested. And as much as I understand eating slowly, enjoying the company, we all felt three hours was a bit long for a lunch. To be fair, about 45 minutes of that was us deciding on menus, and later, enjoying our coffee, but service is really,...