Open over a year now and a firm favourite with many a Galwegian, Rouge is the hottest ticket in town at the moment, and understandably so. The €15 for two courses price tag alone would be enough to get people in the door, but the fact that the food is fantastic has something to do with it as well. A small menu is usually a promise of good things to come in my eyes, a few things done right is far better than a long list of potential disappointments and Rouge has the shortest and sweetest menu of them all. I went at the weekend with some old ex-Galway friends (who must now regret leaving! ) and we had a very lovely evening there.
My very capable friend Joan had booked it a couple of weeks in advance on my recommendation, I cannot be relied on to book anything and she is super organised, but had she not booked there was no way we would have got in. It is a very busy spot and, while you can be lucky, you do need to book ahead to be guaranteed a seat. The simple but excellent offering is a selection of just three main dishes, steak, fish, or vegetarian, all very delicious, cooked perfectly and very few complaints.
After you have given your main course order, your starter platter arrives, a collection of bite-sized appetisers served on slates to share. We had a bowl of French onion soup, very under seasoned and over sweet, a result of the onions not being caramelised for long enough, a sublime quiche, and some garlic mushrooms which divided the opinion of the group — too much garlic some said, no such thing as too much garlic, I replied. A goat’s cheese and walnut brochette completed the platter, which helped to make the underwhelming onion soup much more delightful, acting as a very delicious giant crouton. The starters platters change constantly.
Then onto the three main courses — steak, fish of the day, or the vegetarian dish. The steak is the only constant here, it is striploin, cooked to your liking and served in slices on a heated metal platter. A companion sauce had to be decided for the two of us at the table who had ordered the steak. We tried the wild mushroom and the peppercorn sauces, both very nice. All the mains come with a well-made variety of sides, fries, gratin, dauphinois, steamed potatoes, chef's potatoes, or side salad. A ratatouille was especially good and everyone raved about the potato dauphinois which were elevated from the mundane with more than the usual suspicion of nutmeg.
The fish and vegetarian dish can change daily depending on the catch and whatever is in season. The fish was expertly and simply pan fried and, unusually, came in a red wine cream sauce. The vegetarian dish was a delicious vegetable bake topped with a strong French cheese. Desserts and excellent coffees are extra, choose from pear and almond tarte, creme caramel, profiteroles, or a poire Belle Helene, or go for the dessert sampler at €11.80 if you have someone to share with you.
The service here is in the Gallic style too, staff are professional and efficient, not overly friendly and chatty — just the way I like it. Their very knowledgeable sommelier is on hand to recommend a tipple if your knowledge of French wines is less than encyclopaedic, but the list is excellent. Not much under the €20 mark but what is there is stellar. My advice to anyone taken aback at the prices of the wines, or if you are on a budget, is to try a glass of the very palatable Sauvignon with your meal. At €15 for the set menu and €3.80 for the glass of wine, you will still have enough for a bottle on the way home. Don't forget to leave a tip, mind.
The room and style of dining lends itself particularly well to groups, with a few large family-style tables, all named after Parisian streets. A bustling, charming, restaurant with stone walls, old 19th century posters, and a grand piano, Rouge is entirely deserving of its popularity. Bon appetit.
