French restaurants

By Paul Fulford on May 31, 08 04:22 PM

My wife has returned from a week's holiday in France with tales of the many delightful dishes she'd eaten (though her trim figures doesn't suggest a bout of gluttony).

Dishes like beef daube - that long-cooked southern French stew. Or a simple lunchtime walnut and roquefort salad. Or maybe fromage blanc drizzled with a little rosewater.

France may have lost a little of its sparkle with the emergence of Spain as the powerhouse of innovative, exciting cooking (not to mention the pernicious influence of global fast food brands that have sprung up cross the country).

But it is still possible to eat very well in France at mid-priced restaurants that serve local dishes using local and seasonal ingredients.

Sadly, the French restaurants this side of the Channel largely disappoint. Many are over-priced and others just plain dull, serving formulaic food that is poorly done.

I guess the high rents in big cities like Birmingham discourage the setting up of the sort of family-run restaurants that are the backbone of French cuisine.

Which is a shame because sitting down to a plate of properly done daube doesn't half appeal right now.