Restaurant Bosquet

Roger Smith (15 February 2009)

We have eaten at the Bosquet on many occasions and have always found it excellent. The food is superbly cooked and the service is always friendly, unobtrusive and efficient. The foie gras is mouth wateringly succulent and the lobster salad starter is to die for. It is certainly French cooking at its best with well researched portions and sauces that just have to be cleaned from the plate with the delicious home baked bread. Everything I have eaten there has been perfect. If you want a great meal in comfortable, peaceful and relaxing surroundings go there. It is in no way pretentious or stuffy - just excellent food and brilliant service.

Gordon Snell (22 May 2005)

Your introduction to this restaurant is a little out of date. Unobtrusive it may be from the outside, but it is certainly not faded on the inside. Small yes, but elegantly and tastefully decorated with comfortable real leather chairs, decent sized well spaced tables with crisp linen cloths and sparkling cutlery and glassware.

The menu prix fixe (not on Saturday) at £29.50 is a bargain. A la carte will cost about £8.00 more. At a recent meal asparagus in pastry with a herb butter was perfection as was a warm terrine of red mullet, crab and prawn served with a shellfish sauce. This is real South West French cuisine with good helpings but not so much as to overface as sometimes happens in that part of France.

The fish of the day is surely not in deference to middle-England but an expert appraisal as to what is good from the market on that day. All the fish is beautifully cooked and as fresh as can be in what after all is the heart of England. Turbot with a wild mushroom sauce at a recent meal was delicious, and loin of veal with a similar sauce really set the taste buds tingling. Veal is one of Bernard Lignier's specialities. Beautiful succulent fresh strawberries from Poitu finished off a superb meal.

We have been dining at Restaurant Bosquet for at least ten years and have never been disappointed. Jane Lignier manages the front of house with elegance, charm and humour but always perfectly correct in everything that she does.

The wine list is wholly French, but with a good selection from all regions especially the South West. Try the Jurancon sec as an aperitif or with fish or white meat, and an excellent Madiran is good with red meat or game.

Restaurant Bosquet is, in our opinion, underrated in all the guides. It has good reviews but always a little muted. It is comparable with many of the Michelin starred restaurants where we have eaten and indeed much superior to some of them.