The Worst Value in the World

[Lori]

A guy I used to work for used to take us out once a year as a treat and although the "ambiance" wasn't up to much the food was first class. He was a mega-fussy German and drove a Mercedes so could have gone upmarket but didn't.

Yes, we have a few like that here. Good food and very popular with the truckers, as one of them is just off a main road. Very good prices, just no real ambiance. Depends what you're looking for.

[Bayleaf]

Bayleaf - you are really lucky to have found good Asian food and buffet-style to boot (not normally good from my experience). I have yet to have a decent Asian meal in France. I now avoid those restaurants.

Lori, the Toulouse one is a little far (thankfully) to tempt us more often. It's where my daughter currently lives. We have been happy with the one in Périgueux, which is closer to home. It's Planète Wok in Boulezac. Again, haven't been there much since Covid pandemic - and the last time I did go, courtesy of some other clients, our son and I practically had panic attacks as we were no longer used to big crowds! The food was good (but not as good as the Toulouse one IMO), and gets a bit samey. Puddings are always excellent though!

[Niftyons]

That's about 25€/head? Seems about average these days - many would say cheap. Could be worse, apparently it's really expensive now in Cornwall according to the tourists - and I'm sure it's a gamble as to whether you'll like the food. Some clients took us to their favourite fancy restaurant last year (maybe the waitress speaking English helped!). Very fancy looking, and pretty on the plate - but didn't like any of it. It was all show and nothing pleasant tasting. But that was our opinion. Mr Bayleaf used to be a chef for various places and he recognises the tricks!

Hence we very rarely eat out.

Daughter took me to an Asian buffet-style resto in Toulouse in June, pricey apparently (she paid), but the food was fabulous - that's me sorted for the foreseeable future!

Bayleaf. I take it that you are British.

[Bayleaf]

Bayleaf. I take it that you are British.

Is that relevant?

[Blaze]

There are a couple of the Asian buffet style restos in our area, Gourmet Wok and Panda Wok, and we like both. Panda Wok has wonderful kitch decor and caters for every taste while Gourmet Wok is a bit more "European" Chinese, less choice but I prefer it. Their wok stuff is good and both do good puds !

We don't eat out much, but that's more down to can't be bothered than anything else, and we do enjoy it. There are dozens of good restaurants of varying prices in the Saint Malo area, from crêperies to Michelin star ones. We haven't yet found a bad one at any level.
It's the wine that can bump up the price of restaurants round here unless you go for the house wine.

[Niftyons]

‘ Could be worse’

[Bayleaf]

He's one of my favourite comedians. Thanks for that great clip!

I shall never, ever say again "Could be worse, all things considered"!

[Niftyons]

The trouble with eating at unknown places is that one never knows. Most places that we have eaten out at fall into the bracket of ‘samey’ some fall into the bracket of ‘very bad value’
It over twenty years of eating out in France and Spain about half a dozen places have been excellent value and really special.
Also everybody has their idiosyncrasies and times and management change.

[elsie]

For what it is worth, you can check on TripAdvisor or The Fork which are now both partners with Michelin or even Michelin.
On Tripadvisor, first ignore ratings older than a year or so - you don't know what might have changed. Just ignore the 5* ratings from someone who has never posted another rating (it does seem restaurants ask/bribe friends/clients to post positive ratings). Ignore the 1* ratings unless there are a lot. The 3* and 4* ratings will be a reasonable guide.
You can do something similar with the points out of 10 for The Fork reviews (which also links through to TripAdvisor)

For cheaper restaurants, a lot of white vans outside probably indicates the local tradespeople, etc find the place acceptable.

[tagh]

Talking about restaurants, whatever happened to the old Routières restaurants, often truckers hangouts, mainly privately owned and offering excellent lunches at very cheap prices? Used many of them years ago and never came away feeling quality and price were not right.