Time to Savour the Flavour of France

Despite overindulging during the Christmas period, Caroline Harrap decided to continue in the festive spirit at La Barbe French Restaurant In Reigate’s Bell Street.

You could be forgiven for thinking that the first week of the New Year would see the area’s restaurants deserted.

After all, this is the time when everyone renews their gym membership, swaps sarnies for salad and forfeits those week night glasses of wines; right?

Well, not if La Barbe in Bell Street, Reigate, was anything to go by last Thursday evening.

In fact, this pretty French restaurant, in what is a relatively quiet corner of town, was positively buzzing – not quite full, but very nearly.

How wonderful to discover that I’m not the only one who refuses to assume a life of abstinence for the entire month of January!

But on to the matter in hand – The first thing to say about La Barbe is that you would definitely describe it as a restaurant at the “quality” end of the market.

Independently owned, the food is first-class, the presentation worthy of a modern abstract painting, and attention to detail second to none.

But you do pay for the privilege, and if it’s a quick midweek snack you’re after, then this is definitely not the place to come.

For one thing, you’re looking at a bill of at least £30 a head for an evening jaunt, but furthermore, because of the way the menu is structured, it’s impossible really to eat anything less than a full-on “feast” at La Barbe.

Diners are given two choices: either a two-course meal (£17.95 for lunch/ £24.95 for dinner) or a three course meal (£22.95 for lunch/ £29.95 for dinner)

Frankly, it’s a bit annoying actually, because if you only have a small appetite and don’t normally indulge in a starter then I am not entirely sure what you’re supposed to do…
But rant over! Once you’ve accepted that this is the way the menu works, then you can just sit back, relax and enjoy this delightful Gallic experience!

On our arrival, we were ushered by the friendly waiting staff to a pleasant table at the back of the restaurant with its own little partition – perfect if you want some privacy – and took a moment to look at our surroundings.

Typically French in design, the restaurant has a red terracotta –style floor while the walls are covered with white, floorboard-type panels and adorned with pictures depicting quirky caricatures of Edwardian-looking gentlemen.

For the record, it’s non-smoking throughout, the many places seem to be going these days.

The menu itself offers a wide variety, so allow yourself plenty of time for perusal or even check it out on the website before you go (www.labarbe.co.uk).

We began by choosing some wine and went for a bottle of the house white at £16, which did the job perfectly (be warned, though, the prices rise steeply after that with one at the top end of the range costing £195!).

Unfortunately, my two dining companions were disappointed to learn that the “shredded duck confit  and foie grass terrine” was off the menu that night so had to reselect their starters.

This threw us into all sorts of disarray, but eventually they settled on “poached salmon and fresh herb aspic terrine” and “soup of the day” (tomato), while I went for “ puff pastry and fennel turnover tart”.

I have to say, my dish was exquisite – lashings of sweet fennel in a perfect al dente pastry – and the presentation was stunning; even the glass plate was decorated with an intricate pattern made out of different coloured blobs of dressing.

Reports on the salmon – also beautifully presented – were again excellent, though we all felt the tomato soup was not quite up to high standard of the others (to us, it tasted much the same as out of a tin).

For our main courses, we went for “pork fillet with a dark beer sauce & sweet corn pancake”; “sea bream with olives, fennel, basil & tomato in a foil parcel”  and “fish of the day”.

All lived to their mouth watering descriptions, and my course (the sea bream) was succulent, tasty and suitably Mediterranean, evoking memories of the lovely fresh fish enjoyed in seafood restaurants on holiday.

We had decided to go for the two-course dinner so I’m afraid I can’t comment on the desserts (though I bet, judging by the other dishes, they are heavenly).

In summary, if you want to push the boat out (our bill came to £109 for three), then La Barbe is the ideal place –and what better time to do it than the coldest, most depressing month of the year?