The cliche is French food is better than ours. The trouble is, it's true

Sadly some eateries in very popular areas seem to work on the principle that there will be an inexhaustible supply of naïve punters so don’t need to offer very high standards.

If in doubt look for where the locals eat.

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I think your comment holds good for most countries… locals do not put up with rubbish … :upside_down_face::wink:

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Reply to @Maxime, not nellie

Gordon Ramsey? ! I think there are many other chefs who would be hugely offended to have the change in British restaurant culture ascribed to that egocentric creature. Including some french chefs who found the UK to be far more open to innovation and experimentation than their native country.

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Yes I have to say that I thought that stating Mr Ramsey , or indeed any one individual chef ,was responsible for a change in attitude in the U.K. is not really fair Gordon Ramsey is good at self promotion I will say that for him

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In my home time in Britain you can eat good French style food. I ate in the restaurant once and it was very good but the starter cost more than I’m used to paying for three courses of a similar quality.

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I don’t know him personnally, it is just the most reknown example that british food can be Michelin high rated. As for the rest, Master chiefs all need to be egocentric, this is what makes them create and innovate. This is why I prefer to eat their dish and not work with them. Hihihi

Long live to the United Kingdom

Unfortunately it will be disunited kingdom very soon.

Let’s create the UOK, United Occitanie Kingdom where all remainers found l’asile politique

I have the slogan, “Are you Ok ? R’ U’ OK ? Occitanie is da new brit !”

I don’t think it’s necessary to be a foul mothered, swearing bully to be a creative and innovative chef. Angela Harnett comes to mind as she seems like a fine person. And Esben Bang also seems to be calm and mannered, and it would be hard to be more creative than he is.

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A few years back I was eating in my local restaurant, some French people came in who had been mushroom picking, seen me and decided to try a meal. When they realised that I am English they started to practice their language and told me all about their son who was studying at Oxford , and their visit to see him. One thing that had struck them was off all the restaurants in Oxford , they could find every nationality but English!
I agree with David about the one course in the UK for three in France at the same price. We had a family members surprise birthday party in France in May because people would have to travel anyway and it was cheaper to do it in Allier

The best pub food I ever ate was at The Polgooth Inn near St Austell.
If I was ever in Cornwall again I would definitely go. It’s in a tiny village but you have to book, it’s so good.

I used to drink in the Polgooth Inn in the mid 1970s. In those days you often used to share the public bar with chickens and other assorted farmyard creatures. Polgooth also had an amazing music festival, a mini Glastonbury, but as the last one I attended was in 1976 there were no problems with mud. It was very hard to drive along the road between St Austell and Meva without having to stop at Polgooth for a beer.
When I was even younger it was a special treat to get take away fish and chips from in or near to Polgooth with my grandparents.

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The problem with French steaks is that meat here is mostly ‘hung’ for only 12 days hence the having to chew for quite some time before risking a swallow. Have a word with your local butcher. If you can get a few friends together to buy a sizable piece of meat, they should hand it longer for you. They will pull a face though and think ‘crazy English’.

I’m amazed it’s hung for 12 days ! Most of the French beef I’ve attempted to eat in the past (I’ve given up now!) was still mooing and was impossible to chew even with my practically perfect teeth. :grin::grin::grin:

It does make me giggle when I watch people at our village do’s and in restaurants chewing ad-infinitum, telling me how delicious it is and then leaving most of it on their plate! They’re either afraid to say it’s crap, they need to get out of France more, or they’re just delusional! :stuck_out_tongue_winking_eye::stuck_out_tongue_winking_eye::smirk:

Hand on heart, I can honestly say I’ve never had a decent piece of beef in France unless it’s been cooked for at least 5 hours! It’s horrendous and admitting it is the first step to recovery ! :rofl::rofl::rofl:

(edit: one exception, beef cheeks - love em!!! :wink: )

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Our nearby hyperU has an ageing room and does 30 day hung aberdeen angus. Costs a small fortune, but since I only eat meat on average every 3 or 4 months then 100g is doable. Alternatively a neighbour has highland cattle, and has one killed and hung for 20 days every now and then - so grass fed free range and local, what could be better?

I’d hardly call Aberdeen Angus and Highland Cattle - ‘French’ beef!!:roll_eyes::roll_eyes::roll_eyes: I think both could be classed as imported…

I really meant the type of mass market beef readily available to the majority of consumers…

Before giving up entirely on French beef maybe consider a trip to Lidl. Their Faux Filet in the beige packet (not the one with the film lid) is pretty good. I remember it was 2€99 for a 170g portion. It was the only steak we found that wasn’t tough as old boots. Cook it hot and fast as you would expect.

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Both herds are french reared, but overall I don’t think the breed is the be all as long as you treat it right. You get Charolais in the UK that it turned into decent steak so I’ve heard.

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All available on line…whatever you want from UK… I got Heinz beans cheaper than a supermarché…from a German supplier.

Yuk! 5 X 4g sticks of sugar in one can of Heinz Baked Beans - no wonder Brits are addicted!!