I have had some very good meals here and experienced some excellent service, especially at the Canary Wharf and Covent Garden restaurants. The menu is changed periodically although it can be disappointing when a dish you have enjoyed is no longer offered. However, at the Leicester Square Restaurant, one of the waiters was clearly put out when I asked for another table (of which there were plenty) and so I promptly left (for the Covent Garden branch). Another issue was with the Gourmet Society Discount Card. Firstly, it was accepted for lunch and dinner, then only for dinner, then back to lunch and dinner and now not at all. With a large chain, part of their success should be that it is a safe bet and you know what to expect but with Cafe Rouge, the inconsistencies tend to mar what could otherwise be an excellent dining experience.

I met up with my brother at the Exeter branch of Cafe Rouge, we were both swiftly seated with a friendly waitress, despite this we had to help ourselves to menus from the bar staff and flag down another waiter as the girl who had seated us seemed to have forgotten about us although the resturant was not massively busy, it was a thursday and just after lunch.

After that awkward start, we ordered:
revettes du Caf Rouge as a starter.
King prawns with a lovely tomato chilli dip and a basket of baguette that was gorgeously fluffy and soft inside with a brilliant crunchy crust.
There were about 5 or 6 prawns, just enough to whet the appetite for two people.

For out main course I ordered Moules du Caf Rouge and my brother Poulet Breton.
The mussels came in a large bowl sloshing with a strong garlic and white wine sauce that was nicely herby.
Also with the mussels I ordered the chips, the chips from Cafe Rouge are absolute heaven, salty, thin and lovely.
The only complaint was that the rich sauce, although tasty, became too much and with such a large bowl it was hard to finish the meal.

My brother loved his food, the chicken was flavoursome and the creamy texture of the mash was just right.

We went on for desert, I had Crepe au Chocolat et Banane, a thin pancake with warm chocolate sauce, a banana with a strawberry for decoration!
The warm sauce with a cool vanilla ice cream was great but I did feel it was a large serving after a full meal.

My brother didn't have pudding but a nice smooth latte.

Overall, we had an enjoyable time despite a few hitches, Cafe Rouge hasn't fallen into the chain trap and has lovely rich dishes.

The local branch of Cafe Rouge is of course part of a chain setup, and it is not offering grande cuisine at the top end, but it manages to have a distinct individual atmosphere, and I have visited them many times, always enjoying the good informal atmosphere and excellent cooking. The menu is fairly short and does not change much, but the materials used are fresh, and the preparation quite skilled; the idiom is French, and they take good care of detail in the French way. I have not sampled their wine list, but, although it is fairly short, it looks well selected and reasonably priced. The staff are speedy and courteous, with a relaxed friendly welcome, and they do not hurry you along. The portions are generous, and although the place is not the cheapest on offer, I consider them good value for money. At weekends it is sometimes a bit crowded (though not uncomfortably so once you are seated), so that advance booking is advisable, but during the week it is mostly OK just to turn up. The setting is quite distinctive, discreetly well-lit and comfortable, and overall, the atmosphere and service make it very agreeable.

Recommended!