Chez Raoul offers simple, tasty and hearty cuisine typical of northern France, but the service is seriously sloppy.

For my first evening in Lille I was looking for something typical, an estaminet, which is to local cuisine what the bouchon is to Lyon and the winstub to Strasbourg. I chose Chez Raoul, but it wasn’t my first choice, I admit. But since the others either don’t accept online reservations or don’t accept reservations for one person, I went to the one that lived in the 21st century and didn’t discriminate.

You’ll find all the articles about my stay in Lille at the bottom of the page.

The concept

Chez Raoul is an estaminet, a typical property in northern France and Lille, a small bistro serving regional specialties.

The setting

It’s a typical bistro: wood, tables decorated with checkered tablecloths, decoration a little busy, even kistch.

The menu

It includes all the local and regional specialities.

The meal

I arrive at the restaurant at the time specified in my reservation.

The welcome is warm and friendly, and I’m accompanied to my table. So far, so good…

Once at my table, I was a little disappointed: I had the worst of the restaurant. At the back of the room, in a nook at the foot of a staircase, 30 cm behind me is the entrance to the toilets, with a door that keeps opening and closing as customers queue up next to me.

As I’m about to sit down, I look at my chair for a moment: there’s a knife lying on it. I’m glad I checked.

Cleaning products were left on the sideboard next to the bottles and bread.

Great for hygiene!

If the welcome was pleasant, what I’ve just seen is less so in terms of service and, worse still, hygiene.

The waiter brings me the menu and I order an aperitif: a Picon with beer to do like locals.

I also ordered a bottle of sparkling water, which as you can see is served in a plastic bottle.

I don’t mind being in a simple, friendly setting, but it’s getting to be a lot. On the other hand, the waiter is super nice, smiling and joking, I really like him.

I place my order and am served quickly, as soon as I finish my beer.

For starters I ordered a flamiche with Maroilles cheese. It’s nothing more or less than a cheese pie.

It’s good, it’s consistent, it’s strong in flavor (normal with this type of cheese) and if since I haven’t already eaten one I couldn’t compare it to anything but that was what I expected.

For the main course I had an Opal plank, i.e. tasting portions of several typical dishes. The best way to discover.

As friendly as ever, the waiter took all the time he needed to present the dishes and recipes and explain how they were prepared.

First, carbonade (beef puck, gingerbread and mustard, simmered for 4 hours). There’s a very nice sweet-savory effect, it’s melting and tasty. If there had been bread on the table, I’d have eaten all the sauce because it was so good…but there was no bread. Another mistake.

Then a Welsh. A dish based on melted cheddar cheese, served on toast. I love it: it’s warm, full-flavored and “solid”.

It’s served with fries, which are excellent: it’s clear that they’re really homemade and not greasy at all.

Finally, potjevleesch. These are chunks of cold chicken, rabbit, pork and veal meat in a lightly-vinegar jelly. It’s nice, good, fresh but less original, like things I have already tried outside the region.

For dessert, I’ll have a GEN-pear cup. Pear sorbet, pear-flavored juniper, whipped cream.

Fresh and very greedy…according to my tastes.

I’ll finish with a coffee.

I’d like to go to the toilet before I leave, but it’s occupied by a member of staff who’s gone in with his phone, presumably to use it as a phone booth. He stayed there long enough for 3 waiting customers to lose patience and leave.

The service

It really was a twofold story.

The first, which I prefer to remember, is a very nice, fun and pleasant waiter.

The second is cleaning products lying on my table, on the sideboard, next to the food, the knife on my chair, the waiter taking the toilet for a phone booth.

I let you choose what’s important to you.

The atmosphere

Lively and friendly.

Bottom line

An excellent discovery of northern specialities in a very friendly atmosphere. But there was far too much negligence in the service to be totally satisfied, especially as it concerned hygiene.

Otherwise, the 51 euros charged are very reasonable.

The articles about this stay in Lille

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