Chez Philippe sur Rouen

09/08/2026: This is a restaurant that takes itself very seriously. The staff are impeccably turned out, and the atmosphere is reverential, so smiles are in short supply. We were solemnly presented with what looked like a menu, but since there is no choice and the food is a secret until it arrives, it turned out to be a directory of suppliers. When I asked for a glass of wine, I wasn't allowed to see the list or choose it myself - the sommelier asked what style of wine I liked and then made the choice for me; it was delicious, but I did feel rather deprived of any agency in the selection. We felt rather sorry for the waiter whose job was upselling an additional course, for which he had to open a tin of caviar to tempt diners into an upgrade from the menu and budget they had already chosen. The food is a work of art, with every attention to detail. Our three-course lunch was generously supplemented by a beautiful array of amuses bouches beforehand, delicious bread with good olive oil and home-made butter, and petit fours with our coffee. Everything is announced in great detail by the waiting staff. The starter involving smoked mackerel and aubergine had a rather dark taste, and although it was very elaborately garnished, I would have preferred something fresh and green to the strange black spidery fibres which were arranged on top. The main course was pollock, beautifully cooked, with a tasty source and a small arrangement of miniature vegetables. The rhubarb dessert was delicious, especially the ice cream at the centre, and again, impeccably presented. For such a high-end restaurant I found the chunky pottery on which it was served rather ugly, though the wine glasses were fitting to the splendour of the wine. Thanks to the chef and all the team for the level of care and attention which went into this detailed culinary presentation.

08/08/2026: This was our second time there, this time for a birthday! It was really good! No unpleasant surprises!