Quite Simply French is a French restaurant in Lancaster, selling a range of French cuisines and a full variety of wines. In my opinion, it offers sophistication and great attention to detail. I’ve only visited once, but I would love to go back after exams and recommend that you pay it a visit, because it served one of the most exquisite meals I’ve ever had.
I had the Chargrilled 8OZ Lancashire Rib Eye Steaks, cooked rare, which costs £24. The sides include Salsa Verde, which is a herb-based French sauce, as well as a pot of blue cheese gratin – a French cuisine – which is made up of rich cheese, topped with a browned breadcrumb crust and butter. It also came with green beans wrapped in bacon, a beautifully seasoned salad including dried tomatoes, and a bowl of creamy dauphinoise potatoes (the best potato-type in my opinion) to share. The steak was cooked perfectly: it was soft and tender, with no fat.
The meal was very filling and it was nice to experience a steak without a side of fries or chips, which made it feel more unique than the majority of other restaurant steak dishes. The wine chosen to go with the steak is the Bellefontaine French Sauvignon Blanc, priced at £21 a bottle, but there is a whole menu of choices.
Other types of food sold, include: Lobster, Duck Leg, Hake Fillet, Smoked Cod Fillet, Pork Tenderloin Fillet, Char Grilled Salmon Fillet, Vegetarian Goats Cheese Stack, Chargrilled Sirloin Steak and Coq Au Fin. Quite Simply French also sells multiple French-based starters, such as Snails, Pan Fried Frogs Legs, Oysters and Garlic Ciabatta.
The restaurant has an Early Bird offer from Monday to Saturday, 5.30 to 6.30pm, which involves 50% off starters and £10 mains on their A La Carte Menu, but the steak I had was not on that particular menu. Other offers include: Wednesdays from 5.30 to 9pm, Rump Steak or Mussels for £15; Sundays from 6 to 8.30pm, two courses for £25 with a bottle of wine per person; and Grilled Lobster with two glasses of Champagne for £40, every day. There is also an array of desserts, such as Chocolate Fondue, Crème Brûlée and Cheesecake.
The restaurant environment was great, it wasn’t too warm or cold, and it was decorated with beautiful furniture such as a crystal chandelier, as well as comfortable booths and chairs. There is an upstairs and downstairs to the restaurant, and although the building appears narrow from the outside it is very spacious indoors.
The staff were also very friendly, offering to take my coat as I walked in and later checking to see if my food was okay. The service was quick, as the wait for food was only about 10 to 15 minutes, however the restaurant, at the time I visited, was not busy.
The restaurant itself does not have any parking, but there are streets nearby you can park on. I simply parked at Sainsbury’s then walked across the bridge to get there, which only takes about ten minutes and is quite a nice walk (if it isn’t raining, but unfortunately I think there’s a 99% chance of rain).
As a student, Quite Simply French is quite an expensive place to eat. Therefore, I’d say it is probably somewhere to go when it is a special occasion, such as a birthday, anniversary or when your family is visiting. I would also recommend ringing up beforehand to book a table, as the restaurant is very popular so it might otherwise be difficult to get one.
