I don’t normally eat at places right in the heart of the ‘touristy’ areas, but the place I wanted to eat at was closed for some reason, this Tuesday night.
With more than a dozen places in the market square, we had our choice of many different restaurants with different price ranges. The main theme was, of course, mussels and frites. We settled on Café Francais. It’s right in the heart of the square, recognized by its small marquis on the building, right next to Café Belfort and directly across the square from the Belfry Tower.
I love European restaurants that offer a prix-fixe menu. They’re usually a great deal, and you get to try things you normally wouldn’t try. They broaden your horizons, so to speak.
This chilly, rainy night was perfect for dining on the covered, heated patio at Café Francaise. Tables lined up next to each other, so close you could smell your neighbor’s coffee, covered with green and white table cloths and complete with fresh flowers in tiny vases.
The view of the historical square was worth its weight in gold. There were four different prix-fixe options, from the inexpensive at 20 euros to the more expensive at 45 euros. We opted for the middle option at 30 euros. I got steak with my choice of sauce and fries--I chose pepper cream sauce, and my husband got the mussels and fries with his choice of sauce--he chose cream sauce.
The steak was thick and juicy. The waiter asked if I wanted it medium or well. I chose medium (don’t know why I wasn’t offered medium-rare), and it came out a little less than medium--almost medium-rare, which how I like my beef. The pepper cream sauce was surprisingly good--a great combination of peppery and creamy.
Husband’s mussels were great as expected. The cream sauce was light and sweet. The pan of mussels was HUGE, and he wasn’t sure if he could finish them all. I helped, and we devoured them. YUMMY!
Dessert was included, and I opted for the vanilla ice cream. My husband had chocolate mousse. Both desserts were ordinary, but neither of us was expecting anything more than that.
I thought the meal was good for the money I spent, and the fact that it’s in the expensive touristy area usually means mediocre meals. Again, the view was really the clincher for me. Next time I hope the place I wanted to eat at is open.