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Get the full Le Bistro Experience
 A blacksmith’s, a garage, an artist’s studio; the building housing Le Bistro has had a number of guises, until the present ownership took it over 14 years ago and gradually transformed a cafe into one of the more noteable restaurants in the area.
It can cater for an intimate candle-lit dinner for two, or a lively party of 16. Both were in evidence on the midweek night Maria and I were there. It gave a warm, busy but convivial atmosphere to add to the varied and interesting menu which featured four courses. We had not come across this before and were reluctant to engage in a marathon, but the owner insisted that we should participate in a full Le Bistro experience, so who were we to desist.
My starter choice was something new for me, Goat’s Cheese on toasted brioche drizzled with honey, while my wife opted for the lighter Chilled Melon with fresh fruits and seasonal berries. The melon had been cut into cool slabs easily sliced, while the typically strong flavour of the cheese, which was soft and rich, was elegantly offset by the honey. I felt that the countryside connotations of the cheese and the beautifully warm bread which accompanied it somehow went well with the rusticity of our surroundings, being bare sandstone walls and dark oak roof beams against a magnolia-washed ceiling.
Our second course comprised of Chef’s Soup of the Day, which was a thick and well-seasoned ham, chicken and vegetable, for Maria and sorbet for myself. As we ate we noticed paintings of ladies on the walls. I pointed out that they were all turned away from the artist. Being an artist herself, my wife was of the opinion that this device conveyed an air of mystery. We agreed we liked them and that they added to the whole setting of the restaurant.
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Our main courses came from a varied ten-choice menu, which includes vegetarian; Braised Lamb Shank in a red currant and mint jus for her, the meat peeling away from the bone with ease, and Grilled Salmon with tagliatelle for me, the salmon virtually falling into the fork at the hint of a knife. Both were delicious and accompanied by potatoes and a selection of vegetables all hot from the oven.
As the plates were cleared we were asked if we would like to wait a few minutes before dessert to allow the food to find room. We thought that an excellent idea. This was from a gentleman who reminded me of the cafe owner in the film, ‘Lady and the Tramp’ where the two dogs eat spaghetti and have their first kiss. He did not play an accordian but was equally as friendly.
Faced with our fourth option of the night, we again made light choices, a selection of ice creams for me and French Lemon Tart with fresh cream for Maria. Coffee and mint cream chocolates finished us off nicely.
There are variations to the menu for Fridays and Saturdays and, additionally, in the summer, lunches and dinners can be enjoyed in the open air on the broad patio. It is advisable to book ahead whatever day you choose to go because a restaurant which can be that busy mid-week obviously has a high reputation, which we can
attest to.
Le Bistro has a fully licensed bar with a raft of wines served by the bottle or the glass and is on Main Street, Wentworth.
Le Bistro Restaurant - Wentworth - 01226 746 162
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