Friday, June 6, 2014

Review : Le Barbier Lillois, Lille, France

While wandering around Lille on our weekend away, we discovered Le Barbier Lillois.  Cobbled paths lead to a corner building on Rue de la Monnaie in the old town. A glass door opens into a long narrow room with a butchers counter against the wall & cosy tables beside the long glass window.





We walk up winding twisted wooden steps to a three windowed room overlooking the busy street below. An antique chandelier hangs from a wooden beam, casting light into the high ceilinged room with charcoal painted walls. Gold framed antique butchery prints hang on the wall.  Our aperitifs arrive. A Kir Maison with cassis for me and a 25cl of 5.1% Romy for himself. Later, I have a glass or two of house Rose which is smooth and full of sunshine on an autumn evening.



Our house terrine arrives on a long grey plate, glistening with a jellied outer layer and accompanied with a little pot of cornichons. The terrine was deeply piggy and delicately seasoned so as not to overpower the meat.  Sharing the terrine left plenty of room for our main courses.   The room fills and soon is full of diners, mainly couples but a small family joins us, the girl having a small portion of steak and gratin dauphinois instead of the goujons and chips we expect kids to want. She isn't complaining.



Our lamb arrives. Smoked shank cooked for over a day with a two inch square of dauphinois for the Hubs and a 5 bone baby rack of the pinkest lamb for me with duchesse potato neatly piped into a baked potato - very 1970's dinner party. I almost expected to see my mum's hostess trolley with a
sherry sodden ginger nut log waiting for dessert!

Dessert : beetroot creme brûlée and a cafe gourmand with a trio of little pots holding a creme caramel, a chocolate fondant and a lemon mousse adorned with a celebratory candle for our wedding anniversary. The Beetroot brûlée has been experienced and won't be repeated. He had other choices but chose that one.  My café gourmand was delicious.

 
Our total bill for a lovely wedding anniversary dinner was €86.

Le Barbier Lillois, 69 Rue de la Monnaie, 59000 Lille, France
Tel : +33 320 069935

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