La Terrasse Romantique

While touring the immediate area, admiring the sites….Grotte Peche Merle, an underground cave with pre-historic drawings and some pretty impressive rock formations, Chateau De Cenevieres, a 13th century castle which is still lived in and open to the public, but was closed for lunch!!!! It also reminded us that we hadn’t eaten anything except a bowl of cereal at breakfast. We spotted a sign advertising Restaurant “La Terrasse Romantique”, sounded intriguing.

At first we thought it was just down the road, but soon realised it was a little further in Calvignac, yet another beautiful hilltop town overlooking the River Lot. It took about 10 mins. to get there and after a long climb in the car we parked and walked the final few hundred metres. We were a bit concerned that we may be a little late as by now it was 1.30pm, but were re-assured by the menu outside which stated that lunch was served until three.

The restaurant terrace was quite small, on two levels. The higher level had a table for 4 and a table for 2, and the lower level had a table for 6, a table for 4 and 2 tables for 2. Each table had a ginormous umbrella which offered very welcome shade as you sit admiring the view of the Lot a couple of hundred metres below. It was only about half full. We chose a cosy table for two and after about 15 minutes, during which time we struck up an interesting conversation with four Aussies on the next table who had hired a houseboat on the Lot for a week, monsieur presented us with the menus.

We ordered two savoury crepes and a pichet of wine. The Aussies left and we sat and chatted to each other. After a while we realised that a table of three that had ordered before us still had no food on their table. When their first course finally arrived it looked very good and our mouths were watering in expectation of our crepes.

An hour and a half after first sitting down, fortified only by a jug of iced water, our crepes finally arrived together with a basket of bread (we had to remind him about the wine!).

We debated between us as to why it was taking him so long to cook and serve each dish, considering that everyone there was eating either crepes or salad. Julie was convinced that monsieur was on his own, having to cook and serve everything. I am sure I heard him speaking to someone in the kitchen but on reflection he may well have been talking to himself.

And then we realised that although the “Vue magnifique” was one of the big selling points of the restaurant it wasn’t the view that made it romantic. The amount of time you had to wait for your food would be enough to force any couple, no matter how distant when they arrived, into intimate conversation just to pass the time away.

The funny thing is, we actually enjoyed the experience – the food, when it eventually arrived was excellent, and nobody complained as everyone could see that monsieur was rushed off his feet and doing his best. We might even go back but if we do I think we’ll make sure we arrive at 12 prompt so we can be home by 3!

Nice views but have I said something to upset him??