Regular readers may have noticed that it's been a little while since I've been excited for a restaurant opening. With inflation unrelenting, it's become harder and harder to find a place that offers good quality food with a reasonable value proposition. As such, it was a rare excitement that I felt when I read about the opening of Mini French, by the Votan Brothers who have also owned Green Glass, a restaurant I was very fond of. So of course, we made a reservation to go as soon as we could.
The bistro was roughly half full when we arrived but it filled up shortly after. With a full house on a Wednesday night, bookings would definitely be essential on Fridays and weekends.
The menu was short but it contained more than enough options. I definitely had a hard time deciding what I wanted to try and was already making plans to come back for other dishes as I put my order down.
We started off with two glasses of orange wine, this was more dry and textured than what we usually enjoy. It was a unique experience for us both.
Our entrees arrived surprisingly quickly, within five minutes of us having placed our order. First to show up was the beef tartare. There was a good amount to share and we liked the well seasoned beef, sour capers and creamy egg yolk. The only thing I would have liked is a little more bread to enjoy the tartate.
Next up was the Onion Tarte Tartin. This was essentially a decadent carmelised onion croissant. Rich and buttery, it was good to be served with a side of cream fraiche to balance out the dish. We both liked this dish but agreed that the tartare was more enjoyable.
It took a little while after our first course for our mains to arrive, but it was definitely worth the wait.
This was the Duck L'Orange. It comprised of one side of duck breast. The duck was cooked to a light pink which was just perfect. The sauce had a more subtle orange taste rather than being overpowering and we found that it went wonderfully with the chips. The only improvement I could suggest is that this dish would have been better if served with some veggies on the side to balance it out or at least provide a garnish.
As you would know, I find it hard to go to a French restaurant and not order the steak frites, so of course we had a serve of the bavette with cafe de paris butter. This was cooked rare and packed full of flavour. The sauce was a definite win for me and a dish I would come back for.
All mains come served with chips and these were so good they deserve special mention of their own. Fried to perfection they were crisp without being oily and had just the right amount of skin on them. The chips were generously seasoned with a blend of spices that elevated them to a whole new level. This concoction provided a complex, yet perfectly balanced flavor profile. Each chip was a burst of savory, slightly tangy, and mildly spicy goodness that made it nearly impossible to stop at just one. I can't wait to come back for more.
Taste: 8.5/10
Value: 7/10
Service: 8/10
Environment: 8/10
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