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La Vallée Blanche
- Food served: Tue–Fri noon–2.15pm, 5.30–10.30pm; Sat noon–11.30pm; Sun noon–10.30pm. Closed Mon.
- Pre-theatre times: Sunday and Tue—Thu 5.30pm—7pm; Fri—Sat 5.30pm—6.30pm
- Number of wines sold by the glass: 7
- Also offers: Pre-theatre menu
- Music on stereo: Ambient and jazz
- Capacity: 76
- Largest group: 76
- Open since: 2008
- Average price 2 courses:
£9.95 (set lunch)
£24 (evening meal) - Pre-theatre price: £12.50
- House wine: £16.50 per bottle
Nominate this restaurant forThe List Reader Award 2010
This review appears in the The List's Eating & Drinking Guide 2009 – in the shops now or buy online.
It is one thing seeing a TV chef make a meal of ‘cheaper’ cuts of meat, another enjoying one in a restaurant, but La Vallée Blanche succeeds in showing sensitivity to shrinking budgets without compromising on taste. Just as its name and cosy chalet inspired décor imply, the ‘White Valley’ turns out the sort of traditional French food you could devour after a day in the mountains. The menu changes throughout the year to favour seasonal local produce. Starters include white bean and smoked garlic soup, a luscious piping hot purée of beans and garlic pepped up with chunks of bacon, and a warm tartlet, its crispy pastry stuffed full of leeks, bacon and Reblochon cheese. Mains like the braised ox cheek, a tender dark roundel of meat from Ramsay’s of Carluke, served with a mound of mashed potatoes and grilled tomatoes, are satisfyingly substantial as are vegetarian options like the wild mushroom risotto, a creamy blend of rice and mushrooms dressed with sage leaves and parmesan. Puddings are more daring, with hot banana soufflé and gingerbread ice-cream, or warm chocolate fondant with white coffee ice-cream and pretty frangelico jellies, the equivalent of a successful black run.
- High point: Traditional French cooking using seasonal Scottish produce
- Low point: Hearty portions require a skier's appetite
Comments for La Vallée Blanche (360 Byres Road, Glasgow)
- 1. Angie B, Glasgow – 28 September 2008, 7:00pm
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This is an odd restaurant which doesn't seem to know whether it is a classy french restaurant or a casual diner. We went in for Sunday brunch/lunch and didn't expect to be served a warm roll by white aproned waitress when all we had ordered was a croque monsieur and a burger. The side salad was coated with crunchy rock salt making it unbearable to eat, the croque monsieur was average but smothered in too much cheese and the 'Aberdeen Angus' burger may well have been cooked from frozen. I would have expected a french restaurant to cook a burger from fresh and slightly rare. The formal staff suggest an air of haute cuisine but some of the food could easily have been served at a chain pub. The petit fours (after a burger!?) were also an unusual surprise. We appreciate that we did not sample the a la carte menu and only had a one course Sunday brunch.
- 2. Irishgirl, Glasgow – 9 October 2008, 11:48pm
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WOW! A wonderful French restaurant in the west end, exactly what has been required for AGES!
It is beautifully laid out with a romantic alpine effect. Soft lighting, non fussy decor, and acoustically can cater for a busy restaurant.
Food was truly delicious; MARGO our waitress clearly presented the varied menu. There is plenty of choice, something for everyone.
We thoroughly enjoyed the menu, service and ambiance.
Check their online menu.You will not be disappointed.
- 3. skirunner, La Vallee Blanche, Byers Road – 26 October 2008, 7:58amReport
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We called at the restaurant on Saturday lunchtime, and were asked rather brusquely if we had a reservation, which we did not. The restaurant was busy but by no means full. After five minutes our order was taken – two drinks and two plates of moules frites. 10 minutes later one of our drinks arrived. A further 10 minutes passed before the second drink arrived, with the waiter blaming his colleagues for its late arrival. Another 10 minutes passed before cutlery arrived together with two very small rolls and an apology for the lateness of the food. The waiter said we would not be charged for the drinks and he would be back in a second to tell us how long the food would be. Yet another 10 minutes passed before the waiter came to tell us the food would be another three minutes. We had had enough and left - just appalling. My advice try the real Vallee Blanche a much more rewarding experience.
- 4. Philip Munro, Toon – 4 December 2008, 4:30pmReport
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I have made many trips into this restaurant since it opened and can say it is by far the best food in Glasgow I have had in many moons,go and see for yourself and stop reading the posts that seem to me to have their own agenda when it comes to stating some absurd points,wondering if some other establishments are feeling the pinch because a good quality restaurant has opened and taking business from them and feel the need to make some terrible comments.Trust me the place is fantastic and I wish them all the best for what they are trying to achieve.
Philip Munro
Troon - 5. Mokolino, Glasgow – 17 March 2009, 3:00pm
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Our visit was in January 08. Really disappointing food. Some ingredients good, some sub-par, for example the scallops had no depth of flavour or sweetness, were measly in size and may have been frozen, the black pudding that accompanied them however was good. The menu was really basic (classic French bistro), steak and pommes puree, duck confit etc, which was disappointing given the uinnovative dishes I had heard about.... We could have cooked the food ourselves for a quarter of the price, using better quality ingredients! Far too expensive for boring bistro food.......
- 6. rossco, glasgow – 21 April 2009, 12:00pmReport
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I have to agree with Philip of Troon, what is so bad about being offered a bread roll by an aproned waiter especially as it is gratis? Best food in the West end of Glasgow. I should know I live in the West end and eat out most weekends. Don't read silly reviews try it for yourselves.
- 7. Emma Baillie, Dundee – 23 June 2009, 8:13pmReport
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We had a wonderful meal here in June 2009. We were going to a show later so ordered the pre-theatre menu, which was exceptional value at £14.95. Often I've found pre-threatre menus to be a bit iffy: small portions with ingredients of dubious vintage, but our dishes were all both delicious and beautifully presented.
After we ordered, we got fresh bread rolls, served with lovely butter with sea salt crystals on top - and, then little crostini canapes with feta and crushed peas on, which were delicious.
To start with, I had the smoked haddock salad with quail's eggs, my husband had the potted chicken and toast, which came with a little piquant sauce of chopped eggs and capers, which contrasted perfectly with the buttery chicken. The haddock was perfectly done, the dressing was rich but not overpowering, the quail's eggs were just right, with their yolks almost set.
Mains: husband had a perfect steak with peppercorn butter (£3 supplement, but still very reasonable) and I had a generously sized pork chop with a hearty cassoulet that had cannelini beans and gorgeous little chunks of Toulouse sausage in it. This felt like proper comfort food and made me very happy.
Puddings - I had the lemon posset and pannacotta: only complaint here was that I had to eat my posset with a dessert fork, as it was the only implement I had which would fit into the shot glass it was served in, which is a shame as I missed quite a lot at the bottom. My pannacotta was sweetly delicate and wobbled very becomingly on the plate. My husband had the Scottish/French cheese plate, we forgot to ask what the cheeses were but I think there was a brie, a blue Dunsyre, and some sort of delicious goat's cheese, which tasted a bit like a Golden Cross.
The service was impeccable, everyone was friendly and chatty but not oppressively so. The atmosphere generally was very warm and convivial.
We will definitely be back next time we're in Glasgow: can't wait.
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