a la Colthard/la Colombe d’Or

If you did a poll of ‘favourite restaurants in the world’ I am sure the Colombe d’Or would feature high in it.

It ticks every box of good food, location, ambience, fair pricing and service.

Yesterday I went there with Bob’s p/a Polly who is staying with us for the Easter weekend. It’s her favourite restaurant too.

I made the sensible precaution of booking well in advance, knowing that it would be full on Easter Sunday.

We ordered the hors d’oeuvres – some 25 plates of rice, charcuterie and prepared vegetables – my favourite is the caramelised onions – and a basket of raw vegetables.

This is is a meal in itself, but Polly also had a grilled sole, me a scrumptious turbot in a mousseline sauce.

There was still room for an almond cake with Beaume de Venise and choccy cake for Polly.

We arrived early enough to choose our table on the garden terrace, a delightfully shaded one in a bower at the back of the garden.

The tables at the front took the full brunt of a hot sun.

If I had any criticism it would be the minor one that the tables were too close to one another.

Next to us were three generations of a noisy Southern Irish family.

The mother undertook that odd, modern practice of photographing the food – or in her case videoing the waiter as he filleted and beheaded her sea bass.

There were quite a few Brits in the restaurant including a handsome actor I vaguely recognised.

The main dining room was unused but I took time out to see their wonderful collection of art.

The meal for two with half a bottle of rose came to just over €200 (£180).

Very fair – it’s the only restaurant I know that offers house wine on its menu. They even brought free a strawberry liqueur at the end.

What’s there not to like?

Polly was excellent company, but it would have been consummated  for me  by some Italian prince suggesting we went to his hotel bedroom after lunch … and not for a siesta!!!