We decided to go out today, but as it rained all morning we didn’t leave until just before lunch. So our lunch venue had to be relatively near home. We have had mixed experience with L’Auberge du Grison in Prayes and so decided to give them another try. The first time we went in December 2005 the food and ambience were fantastic, but I have a feeling that the owners have changed since then.
The last
time we went to the restaurant, the owner was brusque to rude and the waitress
was hopeless to appalling, but it was a busy Sunday lunchtime in summer and we
decided they were just having an off day.
Today we
were the only lunch guests and we were greeted somewhat brusquely by the owner,
but the weather was miserable, so what do you expect. I decided to have steak haché (minced steak patty) and Cees wanted
the plat de jour. My request was greeted
with “That is normally for children” which made me feel like replying, “Well
why is it on the grown-up’s menu then”, but I decided better of it. After a long discussion about the fact that
it was only 100g (the normal weight for a steak haché in my book) I agreed to
order it and asked for it to be cooked rare, which was drew the response, “It’s
a burger, you can’t cook burgers rare”, “Oh so it’s not a steak haché then?” I
replied. “It says steak haché burger
quite clearly on the menu” she retorted. Now I must say, with my experience in the food industry, I think
that there is about 0% steak in a burger no matter what it’s called, but I let
it drop and ordered it anyway. Cees’
request for the plat du jour was greeted with, “So you don’t want the menu
then?” “No” he confirmed.
Not a
very pleasant interaction with the dear lady, but the meal arrived and the
burger was OK and Cees’ food was very good.
Now on to the bill. We were
charged 13.70 Euros for Cees’ plat du jour which I queried as that was more
than the menu de jour at 12.50 Euros which had a salad to start and a dessert
afterwards as well. We were told in no
uncertain terms that if you order à la carte you paid a higher price, end of
discussion.
This is just amazing! (but not in a good way).
ReplyDeleteWhen we meet up in France during our vacation in July, let's make sure we pick a nicer place to have dinner as a belated birthday present for Cees.
Love,
Ljalja
Don't worry, we won't be eating there again in a hurry!
ReplyDeletewell, I have rather good memories from our Sunday lunch there...
ReplyDeleteService was slow, but food excellent and the no probem with" addition"...
So I think your post is a kind of little " revenge" :)
Hope not so succesful!
Have a nice summer!
Glad you enjoyed your meal Wiesia, however, I you should note that I didn't say anything about the quality of the food, which as you say is good. I was commenting on the disgraceful way we were treated on this occasion and the dreadful way were were treated the last time we ate there. No matter how good their food, it doesn't make up for charging us 13.70 Euros for a plat du jour which would cost 8.50 Euros anywhere else and not even telling us that the plat du jour was MORE expensive than the menu du jour which include a starter and dessert as well, the logic of which still escapes me.
DeleteI am sure we are not the only ones who have been very annoyed with this restaurant, as all the other restaurants round here are full of locals every weekday lunchtime. An empty restaurant on a Friday lunchtime should say something to the owners about their service - you can't just live off tourists and even if we have foreign accents it doesn't mean we don't live round here and don't know how things work.