Petit Canard, Le

Charles Verrier (17 August 2008)

My wife and I visited Le Petit Canard in August 2008, as we were staying nearby. We wanted a special meal out in an area of the world that seems rather over-burdened with 'family' restaurants, fish and chips, etc. The restaurant itself was delightful, calm and welcoming. We were first given a little amuse bouche of a tiny tartlet - very nice. I selected the seared scallops with an onion mash - the scallops were wonderfully soft and fresh. My wife chose a crab linguini, which she loved. We were then presented with a tiny spinach soup before the entree arrived. I selected one of the specials - a fillet steak with horseradish source, and my wife chose the rump of lamb with a red wine and mint sauce. The steak and lamb were cooked exactly to our request, with real food flavours that suggest the locally sourced freshness they advertise. I finished with a sticky toffee pudding, while my wife opted for a fruit tart with blood orange sorbet. Both were fantastic - not too sweet or cloying. The wine list had plenty of variety, and a decent selection of half bottles as well - good when one of you is driving. The service was calm and unhurried. To sum up - we spent the drive home trying to work out how we could skip a previously booked engagement and come back the following night. The total bill, including a bottle of Rioja, water, coffees and liqueur, was £99 for the two of us. We'd recommend it without hesitation.