Maison François

"We visited Maison François after seeing Matthew Ryle back on MasterChef: The Professionals and were really looking forward to it. Sadly, the experience didn’t live up to expectations. The restaurant itself is lovely — the design, furniture and overall feel are elegant, very clean, and clearly done to a high standard. It’s also worth noting that the restaurant is dog-friendly. Service was fine overall, but lacked the level of attentiveness and polish one would expect at this level. The welcome was quite flat, and when we asked about wine, the sommelier was polite and did recommend a good bottle (Domaine Chaume-Arnaud 2022), although the interaction felt a little distant and not particularly engaging. No one poured the wine during the meal, and although water was topped up once, it wasn’t actually served. There was also no check-in at any point to see how things were. Food was mixed, but mostly disappointing. The Onion Soup was good, but the rest lacked flavour or care: Leek Vinaigrette was bland Beef Rib Brochette arrived cold Moules Frites were very small and forgettable Veal Chop was tough and unmemorable Seasonal Greens (broccoli) felt like something from a much more basic restaurant, with little seasoning or character Only after we mentioned our disappointment did the manager come over. We made it clear we weren’t looking for anything complimentary — just sharing feedback. Given the pricing and the reputation, you naturally expect more. It’s a shame, as the setting is great, but overall it didn’t deliver."