Le Trappeur restaurant review

It just so happened that we ate there twice in the last couple of weeks, and newish owner Mathew has really taken an already good solid restaurant to the next level, in terms of both service and food, and its hard to get a table without reserving such is it’s popularity this season.

We ate here on two different evenings, a week apart and had two different, but both good experiences, mostly based on the time we ate. The first time a big crowd of us were at the table by 7.30, and there was a buzz about the place, and lots of couples and families with children in the mix. We had a great meal and service and everyone really enjoyed their food.

The second time round our table was for nine to nine thirty, and we didn’t start eating until about ten and then probably left around midnight. On this second time, the place kind of went a bit mad (in a good way if you’re looking for a lively place to eat with a holiday atmosphere) at about 11pm when the tunes were cranked up properly loud all the waiters and waitresses jumped on bar stools and started dancing! The diners lapped this up and joined in and soon the whole room was boogying to some obviously well-loved French classics!…plus a bit of good old Abba!!

It doesn’t take much to get the French clapping and singing, they love a good sing-a-long like no-one else on earth. It seems every time you turn on French telly it’s a game show that consists of a panel of presenters or celebs who start a song and the studio audience dive in and clap and sing - channel hopping doesn’t help, it’s just what they do. So we had a big taste of that and the atmosphere was a bit like stumbling in on someone's birthday bash. Eva our bubbly high energy waitress, who spoke great English, was probably one of the most efficient and friendly I have ever come across and even though the place was busy, the staff all kept their eye on the ball service-wise. This is refreshing as service can often be indifferent or sullen in places where you’d naturally expect better.

On arrival the bar man had been super friendly. Speaking perfect English he talked us through the wine options (wine notes - we opted for a really full bodied red called the Mourvedre and I’d recommend it if you go. Mourvedre is actually used quite often as a blending grape in popular wines such as Châteauneuf du Pape. It’s one of the major grapes of the Rhône along with Grenache and Syrah, although rarer and it originated in Spain). All of the other waiting staff were excellent, high energy and smiley, and there were enough of them to cope with the packed little restaurant.

Mathew deserves a special mention as he is a host that is hands on, and went around every table personally chatting and checking on everything - also a bit unusual and again in a very good way.

The food shouldn’t really come last in a restaurant review, but I guess the atmosphere is what is making this place so popular so it’s not surprising, but I am happy to report that the meal was great. Amongst us we had a big dripping whole cheese entree, snails, veggie burger, goats cheese salad with maple syrup, and a steak tartare. Prices are mid range and good value for money; it was probably about 30 euros per head including wine. Tartiflette and fondue are also on the menu at 16 and 20 euros respectively.

You could book a table at the first early sitting if you wanted a good meal as a couple or with the family, or go later if you like your restaurants to be lively and don’t mind a bit of shouting across the table at each other by the time the coffee and genepi comes - either way, I’d recommend Le Trappeur.