Leon de Lyon
1, rue Pléney
69001 Lyon
France

+33 (0) 4 72 10 11 12
www.leondelyon.com

French food

Restaurant: 5/5

Leon de Lyon is located in a small street in the heart of Lyon. The restaurant is very comfortable with a classical decor. From the fine tablecloths to the crystal glasses, everything is perfect. The chef, Jean-Paul Lacombe, is a celebrity in France and the restaurant, which originally opened in 1904, is an institution in Lyon. Leon de Lyon guests include countless celebrities and heads of state. Most notably, the place was chosen for the 1996 G7 summit heads of state private dinner.

Service: 4.5/5

The service, very formal in the French tradition, was excellent. Our waiters provided good advice and detailed descriptions. The sommelier was as good. While our waiters did speak English, I was disappointed not be able to get a menu in English for my American friends.

Food: 4.5/5

As main course, I had the pike quenelle. The quenelle was served with crayfish tails and Nantua sauce. The photo really doesn’t do justice to the dish as the presentation was truly exceptional. The taste was on par with the presentation. The quenelle was soft and fluffy, perfectly complemented by the crayfish tails and the Nantua sauce.

Following the main course, I had cheese. As you would expect, the cheese platter is exceptional, offering a very large variety of all perfectly matured cheeses. They cover all tastes, from a very mild cervelle de canut to a quite strong roquefort. The cheeses were served arranged from the mildest to the strongest.

As a desert, I had 5 small deserts with Saint-Genix praline, a local speciality. The Saint-Genix praline has a very distinctive red color. The deserts were praline nougat, praline ice cream, praline sorbet, praline cake and on a separate plate, praline tart. They were all delicious, with a particular mention to the praline tart which was from far the best I ever had with it’s nice very smooth texture.

Value for money: 4/5

Around $165, including drinks (mineral water, red wine, espresso) and tip. While this is a lot of money, if you consider the food, the restaurant, the service and the fact that the euro is at an all time high, you definitly get excellent value for money. I will certainly come back

Brasserie Paulaner
4 Rue de la Barre
69002 Lyon
France

+33 (0) 4 78 42 06 37

French food

Restaurant: 2.5/5

The Brasserie Paulaner is located in the heart of Lyon. It has just been redecorated going from a traditional French bistro style to something clean and modern. The restaurant is comfortable but a bit noisy because of the bar. While you probably can get some food in the evening, it’s really a lunch place.

Service: 2.5/5

The service was very good. We were taken care of by the manager who not only speaks English but has a kind of funny wicked sense of humor.

Food: 2.5/5

As main course I had a bavette (flap steak) with a Saint-Marcellin cheese sauce, a typical dish from Lyon. The bavette was served with cauliflower gratin, penne and stuffed eggplant. While the meat was very tasty, it was a bit too though. The Saint-Marcellin sauce and the vegetables were excellent.

As desert, I had the chocolate tart. The tart was excellent. The pastry was just right, crumbling but not totally falling apart. The chocolate had nice smooth texture and a strong but not overpowering flavor.

Value for money: 3.5/5

Around $35, including drinks (red wine, espresso) and tip. If you consider the food, the restaurant and the current strength of the euro, the Brasserie Paulaner offers excellent value for money. I will definitely come back.

Brasserie Georges
30, Cours de Verdun
69002 Lyon
France

+33 (0) 4 72 56 54 54
www.brasseriegeorges.com

French food

Restaurant: 3/5

The Brasserie Georges was created in 1836. It is located in the heart of Lyon, near the Perrache train station. While a bit noisy (it’s a very large room), the restaurant is comfortable. The list of celebrities who visited the Brasserie Georges is practically endless. From Auguste Rodin and Jean-Paul Sartres to the Emperor of Japan and Bill Clinton, the list looks like a compilation of the who’s who from the 19th to the 20th century.

Service: 3/5

The service was very good. Our waiter made genuine efforts to please us. As a practical detail, the card is both in French and English.

Food: 3/5

I started with a very typical salad lyonnaise (Salad, warm bacon cubes, croutons and poached egg). It was very good but the egg was a bit too cooked to my taste. I would have preferred to be able to mix the warm and still liquid yolk to the salad.

As main course I had the saucisson chaud. Again a very typical dish from Lyon. It is a pistachio sausage that is cooked on order. The saucisson chaud was server with absolutely terrific mash potatoes.

As desert, I shared a baked Alaska. As strange as it sounds it’s a baked ice cream. You put ice cream on a sponge cake, cover it with meringue and bake it just enough to cook the meringue without melting the ice cream. At the Brasserie Georges, they add Fruits confits on top of the ice cream and a bit of Kirsch in the meringue. It was very good but far too large for me to finish it.

Value for money: 3.5/5

Around $50, including drinks (kir, red wine, espresso) and tip. If you consider the food, the restaurant and the current strength of the euro the Brasserie Georges offers excellent value for money. I will definitely come back.

+33 (0) 4 72 27 85 72
French Cuisine

Restaurant: 2/5

Aux Pieds Dans L’Eau is a guinguette, a very casual outdoor restaurant near the Saone river. The location is great and perfectly fits the bill but don’t expect great comfort. One sour note, there is a train track nearby. Hopefully, trains are not that frequent.

Service: 3/5

It took a bit of time for the aperitifs to come, but, apart that, the service was good. Our waiter was running all over the place to satisfy the numerous tables he had in charge. He probably could have done with a bit of help.

Food: 2/5

I started with the Pâté en croute (pate covered with a crust and cooked in the oven). The pate was served with figue jam and dry apricots. While rustic, it was very good.As main course, I ordered the quintessential guinguette dish: frog legs. If you never had frog legs, you’re probably have a vision very different from what the reality is. To be honest, it’s a bit like chicken. What make the difference is how you cook them. In this instance, the frog legs were cooked with the traditional garlic, parsley and butter sauce. While the meat was crispy on the outside and tender inside as it should be, the sauce was too oily and a bit too bland. Salt and pepper would have been helpful here. Good but somewhat disappointing.

As desert, I had half of a Saint-Marcellin cheese. Saint-Marcellin is a small local cheese produce with non pasteurized milk. If you never had non pasteurized milk cheese, Saint-Marcellin is probably not for you. Simply served with a salad, it was a bit pungent and about medium strength. A bit more salad would have been nice but the cheese was exactly the way I like it.

Value for money: 2.5/5

Around $30, including drinks (white wine and espresso) and tip. While you can probably find better value for money around, the overall experience was certainly pleasant. In a guinguette, food is not the most important thing, the atmosphere is. So, I’m on the fence with Aux Pieds Dans L’Eau. I may go back there.

+33 (0) 4 72 42 90 90
www.bocuse.fr

French Cuisine

Restaurant: 5/5

L’Auberge Du Pont De Collonges is located north of Lyon, on the banks of the Saone river. The restaurant is extremely comfortable. From the fine tablecloths to the crystal glasses, everything is, as you would expect from Paul Bocuse, perfect.

Service: 4.5/5

In line with the French tradition, the service is very formal. Our waiters and our sommelier were continuously taking care of us without being overly present. When asked, they provided extremely detailed descriptions of the dishes and expert advice on wine pairing and cheese. My only disappointment was not be able to get a menu in English for my American friends.

Food: 5/5

I started with the Risotto. The risotto was served with crayfish and a Nantua sauce (a crayfish based sauce). Both the taste and the texture of the risotto were perfects. The crayfish were extremely tender and their flavor was certainly enhanced by the Nantua sauce.As main course, I had the fillet of beef Rossini. The fillet of beef, topped by a piece of lightly seared foie gras, was served with vegetables and a Périgueux sauce (Madeira and truffles). The beef was so tender that I used a blunt knife rather than a steak knife to cut it. Perfectly cooked, it was juicy and flavorful. The foie gras and the sauce were a perfect complement.

A judicious agreement with my left neighbor at the beginning of the meal allowed me to exchange part of my fillet of beef Rossini against some sea bass in puff pastry. The sea bass, cooked in puff pastry, was stuffed with tarragon and parsley. That fish, with it’s wonderful aroma of fresh herbs, was the best fish I ever had.

Following the main course, we were offered a wonderful selection of cheeses, from soft white Cervelle de canut to mature Roquefort. I asked for an assortment that included my local favorite: Saint -Marcellin. All were perfectly aged.

As desert, I had both woodland strawberries with vanilla ice cream and a burgundy cup. Woodland strawberries are very small, yet extremely flavorful, strawberries. The accompanying vanilla ice cream was actually the best ice cream I ever had. The burgundy cup is a selection of red berries dipping in a red burgundy wine based syrup. It is surprising how well berries and red wine go together.

Value for money: 4.5/5

Around $200, including drinks (still water, white wine, red wine and espresso) and tip. While it’s a lot of money, I truly believe that it was well worth every penny. What we had was simply astonishing. I will definitely come back.

Le Sud (Paul Bocuse)
11 Place Antonin-Poncet
69002 Lyon
France

+33 (0) 4 72 77 80 00
www.bocuse.fr

French food

Restaurant: 2.5/5

Le Sud is one of Paul Bocuse bistros located as its name in French indicates in the south of Lyon. The restaurant is located near the city center and has a Mediterranean themed decor. While the restaurant is relatively comfortable, tables are very close to each other and you don’t get much space.

Service: 3/5

The service was very good. It was fast and our waiter made genuine efforts to please us.

Food: 3/5

As main course I had fisherman plate, cooked bouillabaisse style with saffron. The fisherman plate, which use 3 kind of fish, gambas and vegetables (green beans and potatoes) was excellent. The fish was perfectly cooked, moist and tasty and the saffron sauce wasn’t overpowering the dish. The gambas as well were perfectly cooked.

For desert, I had the vacherin (sorbet, strawberries, raspberries, meringue on a raspberry coulis). As the meringue bring the sweetness to the dessert, I would have preferred the sorbet to be a bit less sweet. Still it was really good.

Value for money: 3.5/5

Around $40, including drinks (mineral water, espresso) and tip. Considering the restaurant, the location, the quality of the food and the current exchange rate (close to 1.6 dollars for 1 euro at the moment), you’re getting very good value for money. I will certainly come back.

Campagne
20, Rue du Cardinal Gerlier
69005 Lyon, France
France

+33 (0) 4 78 36 73 85

French cuisine

Restaurant: 2.0/5

Campagne is located near the cathedral of Fourviere, out of the center of Lyon. The restaurant is relatively comfortable. While the decor is very simple, typical of a traditional “bouchon”, the delightful inside courtyard is the reason why people go there.

Service: 2.5/5

The service was very good. Our waiters made genuine efforts to please us.

Food: 3.0/5

For starter, I had the salmon roll. The smoked salmon, rolled on fresh goat cheese, was served with a light salad. The combination was not only interesting but very good.

As main course I had the chicken supreme. The chicken supreme was served with potato gratin and vegetables (mushrooms, zucchini and peppers) and a nice creamy sauce. The chicken was very tender and the sauce was very tasty. The potato gratin was a very good complement.

After the main course, I had a very traditional Saint Marcellin cheese that was served with a little salad. The cheese was just right: mature but not too much.

For desert, I had another very traditional dish from Lyon, a praline tart. Served with a creme anglaise and a strawberry coulis, it was really good.

Value for money: 3.5/5

Around $50, including drinks (aperitif, two glass of wine, sparkling water and coffee) and tip. Considering the restaurant, the atmosphere, the food and the current exchange rate (close to 1.6 dollars for 1 euro at the moment), Campagne is definitely a good value for money. I will come back.

Le Saint Vincent
6, Place Fernand Rey
69001 Lyon
France

+33 (0) 4 72 07 70 43

French cuisine

Restaurant: 2/5

Le Saint Vincent is located on a small square in the heart of Lyon. The restaurant is relatively comfortable. The decor is typical of a traditional bouchon. I highly recommend the terrace that is truly delightful during summer.

Service: 3.5/5

The service was excellent. Our waiter made genuine efforts to please us. While the last guest arrived after the kitchen closed, they reopened it and cooked solely for him.

Food: 3/5

As starter, I had the brick with Saint Marcellin. The brick, a thin-layered dough used in north African cuisine, stuffed with Saint Marcellin cheese (a local specialty) was lightly fried and served on salad. It was a nice and tasty interpretation of the classic north African brick that is usually filled with egg.

As main course, I had the duck. The duck was tender and tasty, cooked with dried fruit and served on the side with ratatouille. While both were really excellent and the association somehow works, I would have preferred something like a potato gratin or steamed green beans with the duck.

For desert, I had the creme caramel. Classic, simple, delicious and generously served.

Value for money: 4/5

Around $30, including drinks (a glass of kir and coffee) and tip. Considering the restaurant, the location, the food and the current exchange rate (close to 1.6 dollars for 1 euro at the moment), Le Saint Vincent is a truly excellent value for money. I will definitely come back.

Muscade
36, rue de Montpensier (67, galerie Montpensier)
75001 Paris
France

+33 (0) 1 42 97 51 36
www.muscade-palais-royal.com

French cuisine

Restaurant: 2.5/5

Muscade is located in the historical Palais Royal in the heart of Paris. While the decor is simple, the location is really exceptional. The restaurant is relatively comfortable. I would advise to get a table on the totally delightful terrace.

Service: 2.5/5

The service was good but a bit slow. While my waiter made genuine efforts to please me, he was waiting on the kitchen (the place was full).

Food: 3/5

The bread, traditional French baguette, was tasty but a bit elastic.

As main course I had the lamb tajine. The lamb, served with couscous and dates, was nice and tasty. The meat was very tender but a bit cold.

For desert, I had orange and chocolate tart. The tart, extremely soft and smooth, was exceptional. It had both a subtle orange flavor and a strong dark chocolate flavor.

Value for money: 3.5/5

Around $45, including drinks (a glass of wine, sparkling water and coffee) and tip. Considering the restaurant, the location, the food and the current exchange rate (close to 1.6 dollars for 1 euro at the moment), Muscade is definitely a good value for money. I will certainly come back.

Ladurée
75, avenue des Champs Elysées
75008 Paris
France

+33 (0) 1 40 75 08 75
www.laduree.fr

French cuisine

Restaurant: 3.5/5

Ladurée has multiple locations in Paris. They are mainly a patisserie but also have a tea salon and/or a restaurant in certain locations. I visited the restaurant located on the iconic avenue des Champs Elysées as I arrived late in Paris and this particular one stays open relatively late. The decor, designed by the very famous Jacques Garcia, is a refined version of the classic 18th century French style. The restaurant is quite comfortable. I would advise to get a table on the first floor which is more cozy and definitely quieter.

Service: 3.5/5

The service was very good. Unfortunately, while our waiter made genuine efforts to please us, a breakdown of they computer system meant that the whole operation was running in slow motion.

Food: 3.5/5

The bread selection was very nice. The green candy looking green cylinder on the photo is actually butter.

I started with the tomato Saint-Honoré. That very original dish is composed of a kind of tomato chutney laying on a savory pastry, decorated with roasted chery tomatoes and basil whipped cream. Not only it was original and delicious but the presentation is quite spectacular. As you can see in the photo, it look very much like a desert.

As main course, I had the blue fin tuna. The tuna, moist and tender, was perfectly executed. It was served with rose flavored semolina and fresh strawberries. While the flavor of the semolina was exquisite, it was a bit dry. The strawberries were unexpected but definitely a good complement to the dish.

For desert, I had a rose and raspberry Saint-Honoré. The Saint-Honoré, a symphony of pastel rose colors was decorated with fresh raspberries and a red rose petal. Both the custard and the whipped cream are rose flavored while the heart of the pastry is a raspberry stew. And yes, it does taste as good as it looks.

Value for money: 3.5/5

Around $60, including drinks (a glass of wine, mineral water and coffee) and tip. Considering the restaurant, the location, the food and the current exchange rate (close to 1.6 dollars for 1 euro at the moment), Ladurée is definitely a good value for money. I will certainly come back.