Most restaurants serving international cuisine try to make them as authentic as possible but, as hard as they try, you more than often feel like you're in a restaurant on your doorstep that just happens to serve really good pizza/moussaka/bhajis. So when it was announced that a new Parisian-style bistro was being opened in Cardiff by the Barker family - who are behind such favourites as Gin & Juice, Coffee Barker and Rum & Fizz - I was interested to find out if it lived up to the billing.
Maison De Boeuf is based in Castle Arcade - just along from the aforementioned Gin & Juice and Rum & Fizz in the former Madame Fromage presmises - and with little bistro tables and chairs outside all these businesses, it really does have the air of a French quarter. But it's when you step through the doors of the new restaurant that you get the feeling that you really could be in Paris.
With dark wooden floors and ceilings and walls lined with mirrors - some covered in elaborate writing advertising the drinks on offer - you feel like you've stumbled upon a cosy little diner that's hidden away in a corner of the French capital. The chandeliers, side lamps and twinkling tealights on the bistro tables, which are covered in white paper cloths, give off such a cosy and romantic vibe. Adding to the atmosphere is the gentle French music playing in the background.
A bar area near the entrance is just like the one in Gin & Juice with wine and gin glasses hanging upside down and bowls of citrus fruit and fresh flowers on the counter. The waiters and waitresses wearing waist aprons and neckerchiefs certainly look the part.
We booked a table for lunch during one of the restaurant's 'soft' openings - the official launch is Friday, May 12 - and arrived a little earlier than our booking but our table was ready and we were offered drinks while we looked at the food menu. There's a selection of cocktails and Champagne on offer but I plumped for a 250ml glass of the Ancies Temps Rouge (£8.45), which was a medium-bodied wine filled with summer berries, and my partner enjoyed a cool pint of the Napoleon French lager (£6.50).
Now for the menu. If you're expecting plenty of choice then think again for essentially there's only one thing on the mains menu - steak and frites. There's definitely no coq au vin or duck l'orange. But this isn't a bad thing as long as you like steak. There are two fixed price menus - deux plats (starter and main) for £24.95 or complet (starter, main and dessert) for £29.95.
There are three starters to choose from: Twice-baked smoked cheese souffle - £10.95; French onion soup - £10.95 and snails -£11.95. Not being brave enough to go for the latter (I've eaten them in actual Paris and they didn't really rock my world), we ordered the first two options. The souffle was light and the cheese and smoky flavours weren't too overpowering, although it could have done with more sauce for my liking. The French soup was served in a tall bowl which was practically overflowing and it was an eye opener. Packed with onions, the thin broth had a lovely sweet flavour. The soft bread on top soaked up the soup and added another delicious layer. And it wasn't just us raving about it as we could hear the people on the next table singing its praises.
As previously mentioned, there's just steak and frites (that's chips to you and me) for mains, but there's a plant-based version too so while I do eat meat, I went for the vegan dish while my other half had the full meaty deal. They only cook the meat three ways - rare, medium or well done - so he chose the middle option. We didn't have much time to wait before the mains (both priced at £20.95) had arrived.
The steak is served in thin slices with a good portion of chips and the meat dish is covered in a 'secret sauce'. It also comes with a separate bowl of green salad. While my partner usually loves breaking into a fillet, he was more than happy with the thinly sliced meat which he says was tender and cooked perfectly for a medium. The liberal amount of sauce was a hit and while it gave a nice edge to the meal we are still in the dark about exactly what it is. I was more than happy with my plant-based version - and while I can't say what a vegan would think, it felt like the real deal to me and was really 'meaty'.
As for the chips, they were exactly like the kind you enjoy across the Channel - neither too thick or thin, the skins were crisp and golden and the filling soft. The green salad was essentially lettuce but it added some texture to the meal. The food was served on rather small plates and while I was happy with my portion, it looked like they'd been a bit Scrooge-like with the meat dish - until our waitress appeared halfway through the meal asking my partner if he would like some more, which is apparently how they do it in France. He happily obliged.
Onto pudd and this is where you're spoilt for choice with five offerings including creme brulee and cheese and biscuits. We opted for the tarte tatin (£9.95) and profitterole (£8.95). The French apple tart was packed with fruit and had a beautiful pastry base and was inflamed with brandy which was a lovely contrast to the vanilla ice cream. The sole profitterole was huge! The case was soft and it was filled with cream and the hot chocolate sauce was amazing. Well the French are renowned for their chocolate too. The fresh strawberries were an added bonus.
Overall, we had a lovely lunch at Maison De Boeuf - and they hadn't even officially opened during our visit. The service was attentive, the food was enjoyable (if you like steak) and the ambience spot on. Why travel to Paris when you can pop to Cardiff...
Maison De Boeuf is at 21 Castle Arcade, Cardiff CF10 1BU. Tel: 029 2280 4462.
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