Val d'Isere Apres Ski Report: 22nd March 2012

I was pondering where to take a group of big, hungry lads and then someone suggested the restaurant 1789 and I knew that was the place.

For those of you who don’t know, 1789 was the year of the French Revolution and yes, this restaurant is very, very French.

It’s been a while since I’ve been but I remember always having great food there. There’s a good selection of Savoyard cuisine and in the past I’ve tried their salads and pasta dishes which have always been delicious. However, the biggest attraction is the steaks which are cooked in the chimney on an open fire with the crown piece being the Cote de Boeuf for two people. There were eight of us and everyone was unanimous in going for the Cote de Boeuf so we ordered four and sat back enjoying the good red wine and eagerly awaiting our meal.

The restaurant itself is quite cosy and, due to its size, does two sittings every evening at 7pm then 9pm so it’s worth booking. The décor is Savoyard all round; lots of wooden beams and local scenes and, of course, the open fire.

The service was really friendly and we were served drinks straight away while waiting for everyone to turn up. When everyone had arrived and perused the menu the waitress was there ready to take our order. Then we were left to our own devices to talk amongst ourselves (mostly about how excited we were about our upcoming feast!)

When our meal arrived everyone went silent which, when you’re with seven big lads who’ve already had a few beers, is a good sign that the food is GOOD!

The steaks were huge and served with the bone on the side full of the marrow. There’s a selection of sides including potato gratin, chips and green beans and we ordered a few of each to share. Everyone tucked in and I have to say, we demolished the lot in a pretty rapidly.

The meat was beautifully tender to the point of melting in your mouth with a lovely, slightly smoky flavour. There was no need for any sauce on the side because it was tasty enough. The gratin was smooth and creamy, the chips nice and fat and the green beans were lightly cooked in butter. Everyone agreed it was perfect.

After finishing, there was no room for dessert, except for one of the lads who couldn’t resist the crème brulee, when in France! The rest of us went for a round of Genepi instead, just to help the digestion you know!!!

The bill came and we all found it really reasonable for such a lovely meal and good wine and I have to say I won’t be waiting so long again to go back.

1789 is located in the centre of town opposite the bus station. It’s set just off the main street down a small alley which you will find between the Val Traiter delicatessen and the Mountain Pro Shop. It’s just on the left hand side and it’s open every evening. Like I said before there are two sittings a day and it’s definitely worth booking ahead which you can do by popping by or calling on 04 79 06 17 89.

Well, that’s it from me this week, remember next week is the Step Up for Africa event so call into V-Spot for details and get yourself down there for a fun day with a great cause. Have fun, stay safe and TTFN.