AH, the French. Nope, not Simon Rogan’s place in the Midland Hotel, I’m talking about people actually from France. It’s fair to say the French love their food but they can get a bit sanctimonious about it. Of course, it’s not until you actually go to France that you see why.
All in all, this place is a real success story with Chef Troalen consistently producing quality dishes to an appreciative crowd.
Even at motorway service stations you can eat like ‘un roi’ whereas ours (apart from Tebay in The Lakes) force me to avoid eye contact with foreign visitors in an attempt at a gastronomic apology.
French restaurants usually keep their menus simple and are generally keen on sourcing seasonally and locally. If the little old lady down the road has made a batch of cheese from her goat herd and is selling it at market, you’re likely to find it later in the local brasserie. So how does that translate when a French chef sets up on this side of the Channel?
I first came across Paris-trained Chef Oliver Troalen at his restaurant La Bohemme in Lymm during a book launch late last year.
Outside in the dark
Despite it having been there for the past twelve years, I’d never heard of it. Troalen had just published his first cook book A Taste of France in North West England, a collection of recipes “that utilise home-grown North West ingredients and a certain ‘je ne sais quoi’ to produce mouth-watering French dishes for the British palate, dispelling the myth that good food can’t be found in the North of England.” His words. His very grand words. Could he live up to them?
Troalen talks a good game
When Confidential asked me to find interesting places to eat within 30 miles of the city centre, I wanted to go back to La Bohemme to eat. We went on a Friday night and it was packed. The menu changes every three months to reflect the seasons and is a straight forward £27 for three courses/£22 for two with a few expected supplements for certain dishes.
Why does food always sound more appetising and even downright sexual in French? Let’s take his signature starter for example, haddock fritter anyone? No? Well perhaps madam would prefer ‘Le Fameux Beignet D'Haddock Aux Deux Saveurs’. Take another, if I didn’t know better, I might even be tempted to buy a bottle of ‘L'Assiette De Follie De Porc’ and spray it on my décolletage.
If a French restaurant can’t get a fish soup right, especially a family recipe, it’s game over from the off.
Well, they nailed ‘Soupe De Poisson de Mon Oncle Jean’. A full flavoured steaming bowl of pink, creamy bisque, as warm and comforting as a mermaid’s breath in a sailor’s fantasy - and better than my breath after eating the accompanying croutons slathered in rouille as garlicky as it was Gallic.
Soup-er success
The ‘foie gras et sa brioche’ was described as ‘a must dish for a French restaurant’. Served with homemade golden sultana chutney it was as smooth and rich as a Burgundian billionare’s coffee.
For my main course I ordered the ‘Filet De Boeuf a La Cantona’ - pictured at the top of this page. The menu description almost took longer to say than to eat; ‘Fillet of beef filled with a spring onion, chive and roast garlic cream cheese, wrapped in pancetta, cooked to medium, accompanied with a deep fried roulade of potatoes, glazed roasted root vegetables, finished with a strong Port jus’.
Apparently the footballing legend had visited La Bohemme years ago and had enjoyed his beef dish so much, they decided to name it after him. The beef was cooked slightly less red than the name had promised, but I enjoyed it too.
The funny thing is, my husband usually likes to go for the beef dish, but as an Evertonian he claimed that however good it was he wouldn’t be able to swallow it, so he went for a turbot dish from the specials menu. ‘Filet de Turbot et veloute d’asperges’ served with fluffy cheddar pommes croquettes, seasonal vegetables and a silky, buttery sauce.
Silky turbot, not in any way red
Puddings are a speciality at la Bohemme and (as in every course) portions are generous.
Expect to find permanent fixtures such as ‘bread and butter pudding De Maman’ and Crème Brulee – both originally British dishes?
The Tarte au Citron didn’t disappoint with a sweet pastry base carpet under gently wobbling sharp lemon-scented custard. I had hazelnut parfait with salted caramel sauce, sable biscuits and a poached pear. The biscuits lacked crunch and the pear was fine but when that combo of sweet, salty, frozen, nutty perfection hit my taste buds I actually shouted ‘I DON’T CARE’ at the voice in my head that questioned how my diet was going.
Lemon tart and a bit of a tart
We ordered a bottle of Fleurie (£21.50) from a mid- priced 70% French wine list and the excellent waiting staff made sure our glasses were never less than half full at any time.
All in all, this place is a real success story with Chef Troalen consistently producing quality dishes to an appreciative crowd.
If you want to find a taste of France in North West England, go and eat at La Bohemme, it does exactly what it says on the...er...book.
You can follow Deanna Thomas on Twitter @DeannaThomas
ALL SCORED CONFIDENTIAL REVIEWS ARE IMPARTIAL AND PAID FOR BY THE MAGAZINE.
La Boheme, 3 Mill Lane, Heatley, Lymm, Cheshire, WA13 9SD. www.laboheme.co.uk/ 01925 753 657
Rating: 14/20
Food 7.5 (fish soup 8/10, foie gras 8/10, beef 7.5/10, turbot 7/10, lemon tart 7.5/10, parfait 7.5/10)
Ambience 3.5/5
Service 3/5
Foie gras from La Boheme
