La Barbe in Reigate.
Mike McIntyre joins in the 21st birthday celebrations at a French restaurant that has stood the test of time.

I wish I could claim to have discovered La Barbe - but I didn't. In fact, I'm almost ashamed to admit that my recent visit was also my first. It's been my loss - twenty-one years of missed opportunity.

My wife will only forgive me if I take her there again… soon! She'd be even more forgiving if we were joined by the owner, Serge Tassi, a charming, quiet spoken man with a passion for wine and a gentle French accent that clearly has a disarming influence on women of a certain age.

We visited on Tuesday evening and were shown to a delightful alcove table, round and beautifully decorated in yellow, with a single rose and a flickering oil lamp, where we could sit side-by-side looking over the restaurant. It was all rather romantic; particularly when you add soft lighting, very discreet background music and a chatty, but by no means loud, atmosphere, on a busy night with few empty tables.

The service from Serge's all-French waiters and waitresses was immediately welcoming. Fresh French bread and a selection of olives were quickly delivered, as were waiters and aperitifs.

We settled into the menu, opting for an indulgent three courses at £27.95 rather than two at £23.95, with a bottle of the house red. More of the wine later.

My wife, Jackie, chose a vegetarian starter to Tarte de Chevre a la Florentine, a spinach, garlic and goat cheese tart garnished with a bouquet of mixed salad. "Delicious," she said, "try it." I did, and it was. The goat cheese winning through as the dominant taste but without overpowering the subtle contribution of the other ingredients. I opted for the Feuillete de Ris de Veau au Porto, a puff pastry case filled with sweetbreads cooked in a port sauce… something of a journey into the unknown for me. It was superb, the sweet taste of the meat contrasting perfectly with the stronger depth of the sauce. We were off to a very good start.

I wasn't at all surprised when Jackie ordered the fish special, halibut cooked in a mushroom sauce, as her main course. She enjoys her fish. I went in search of a new taste bud experience from Filet de Porc a la Dijonaise, pan fired pork fillets complemented by a Dijon mustard sauce. Once again there were no losers. Jackie's fish had an unmistakable freshness that could easily have been ruined by an over-flavoured sauce. But not in this case… the sauce was there to be noticed and enjoyed, not to spoil. And so it was with my pork, the taste and texture of the meat standing just above the delicately balanced strength of the mustard sauce.

My choice of dessert was easy - I knew from the outset that I would finish the meal with the Tarte Bourdaloue aux Poires, poached pears and almond tart. Jackie once again chose the special of the day - Mango Mousse. Both were culinary works of art and absolutely delicious.

With our meal we enjoyed a bottle of the house red (£13.50), which was more than adequate but perhaps revealed my ignorance of the finer virtues of Serge Tassi's wine list. Serge admits to a passion for wine that is reflected in a mostly French cellar ranging in price from about £17 up to £220. We finished with coffee, petit fours and armagnac.

To sum up La Barbe… it's warm, welcoming, romantic, and the food is terrific. Everything that's served is made on the premises from fresh produce and Head Chef Laurent creates a new menu every two months. Longevity speaks for itself. You don't survive 21 years in the restaurant trade without a product that people are prepared to pay for.

One final word… La Barbe has facilities for private parties of up to 70 people as well as an outside catering service, and may (if you're lucky) still have places for Christmas Eve Dinner (£39.50), Christmas Day Lunch (£75) and New Years Eve Dinner (£75)

Surrey Monocle - December 2003