18 October 2010

OF FOOD AND VISITORS

PART TWO.
During our second week's holiday in August, Nick went fishing with our friend Andy (and his little dog, Jamie), so Pat and I went for a girls' day out. We went shopping to Tours and decided to have lunch at a restaurant called "Le Clos" at Chambray-lès-Tours. It's right next to Leroy Merlin on the road that goes south towards St-Maure.


It wasn't called "Le Clos" the last time I ate there. It was just a perfectly ordinary Itialian restaurant that served good pizzas. Nick and I had called for a quick lunch a few times when we were visitin Leroy's for some DIY stuff.


As Pat and I walked up the steps I was so busy telling her how good the pizzas were that I didn't notice the smart new sign by the front door. When we stepped inside I soon realised that the decor and layout were completely different. The place had lovely subtle colours and nice music playing instead of the gaudy red and green uniform of the pizza restaurant. I got the feeling that we were in for something rather special and I was right. It always helps when the other diners look happy and content, not anxious or fidgety, and especially if they are being served red wine from a smart decanter into the big wine glasses !!


We opted for two courses, mains and dessert. The menu was very tempting but we didn't think we would be able to manage three. We each ordered a different white fish dish for main course and they were delicious. It wasn't until we had been eating for a few minutes that we realised we had been given the wrong ones. This was an error on the part of the young waiter, who had asked who had ordered which, then put them down in front of us the wrong way round. They looked so similar but I was eating the one with chorizo in, that Pat had chosen. It hardly mattered. We had had difficulty in making up our minds anyway. I'm sure we could have chosen anything off the menu and loved it - except for andouillette !!


We both chose the same dessert. It was a fabulous strawberry tart which looked spectacular and was served with a little pot of thick cream and a blob of ginger ice-cream. It tasted divine.
We were impressed. It wasn't as cheap as a quick pizza would have been but it was excellent. Another really good dining experience and another restaurant to add to our ever lengthening list of great places to eat.

3 comments:

  1. That all sounds very tasty.

    Now, if some North American pizza places could be redone like that, the world would be a more delicious place.

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  2. Jean, thanks for that tip. We might have to try Le Clos the next time we go over the Leroy-Merlin for shopping. On another note, too bad about the fuel shortages. Third postponement...

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  3. Jean, Pauline calls andouillette "Shut up and eat it food"... like gesiers! If I read Ken's comment correctly, you aren't here... don't worry, weather has taken a turn for the worst. Pauline and I went to the Brenne yesterday... and froze! I lit the fire for the first time in consolation. Today we've had sunshine... fine when out of the wind.... but the temperature hasn't got above 12C and well below that in the wind... even worse in the shade and wind!
    Tommorow it is meant to be cold and raining all day...

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