L' Olivier de Provence

In the old part of Carouge we find L`Olivier de Provence. The restaurant is divided in two parts: a bistro and a restaurant part. When we asked on the phone what was the difference between the two parts, the waiter responded simply: the price. A quick look at the menus can tell us that at the restaurant part the products used are more expensive and the dishes are more elaborated. Well, ``we`` decided to eat at the bistro part (also because it was me who was paying).  To be honest I`m not a too big fan of these divisions. It`s a bit between the ears, but  if I either choose the restaurant or the bistro, I always wander if I`m on the good side. If I would chose the restaurant I would feel I pay too much for basically the same thing and in the bistro I am afraid the kitchen puts less attention into my plates.

Well this said we ate very well at the bistro. We took a 3 course menu (55 CHF). As a starter we took a terrine of summer vegetables with mousse of goat cheese and mixed salad. Very tasty, fresh and provençale. As main plate I took a piece of beef which got braised in red wine during 12 hours. I had a sort of Proust moment when I tasted this meat. It took me back to when I was young and my mother and grandmother prepared a similar dish (we called it grandmothers meat, because she often prepared it and because of the stringy structure of the meat). My girlfriend took sea bass with a ' vierge' sauce. Very good and fresh also. To finish we took the tiramisu, good and not too heavy. To conclude: just very nice. But I still wander how it would have been in the restaurant part.

L' Olivier de Provence. 13, Rue Jacques-Dalphin 1227 Carouge. Tel: 022-3420450. Open monday till friday for luch and dinner. Also open on saturday night. Website: http://olivierdeprovence.ch