For those of you who know Bauge and who do lunches, you have probably been to le Commerce and either enjoyed a four course worker's lunch or pushed the boat out and had the five course gastronomic menu at about 13 euros including wine. Well, those days are gone as Le Commerce has changed hands. It has been redecorated inside and out, and now has a fresh grey and white theme - the dodgy tourquoise effect in the back room has gone and the tables are no longer in horizontal rows seemingly barring any access to bar, loo or back room.
The new owners are friendly and understanding about English foibles, and if you look relaxed and like you are having fun, they won't rush you through your food or try to chuck you out dot on 2pm. I think the lunchtime menu has gone up and is now 10,80 euros including wine or cider, but not including coffee, and the five course menu has gone. Now there is just one menu and one choice of main (although I think if you have real problems with it, you might get a substitute), but the plat for each day of the week is listed on a blackboard, so you know what you might get later in the week.
So, what is the food like? The buffet of starters trolley is a bit smaller than some, but there were about 12 different things. There was a particularly nice cold leek salad, the mushroom a la creme salad was clearly home made and very good, nice salami, very good herring and potato salad, plus hard boiled eggs, grated carrot, sardines and pots of rillettes. The plates were quite small, but knowing my ability to pile one high, I think that was good as it meant I had not over-eaten and could face my main course properly. Yesterday, the main was a quarter guinea fowl with a forestiere sauce (wild mushroom and cream) and very nicely done little fried potatoes. If I was being picky I would say that the potatoes might have been slightly over salted - certainly check before you make with the salt shaker!
If you wanted cheese, you got a small plate with a piece of camembert and a nice, if mild, other cheese that I couldn't identify. There was an extensive choice of simple puddings - the one issue with eating slowly was that the workers had got all the chocolate mousse before I got there! I had a nice fromage blanc, John had an ile flottant that he didn't quibble about, and the chocolate tart looked good. Coffee was extra, but a proper expresso hit. The red wine was very good as well.
When it came to paying, they were able to cope with our table having 3 people wanting different bills (you go to the bar to pay), and the fact that not all of us had the full menu. We weren't shoved out, and felt very welcome. John and I will certainly be going back.
Chums in the village, and not the British ones either, had said we should try it as it was very good. Some have had venison, others said the steaks were good, and none quibbled on prices. Overall, while we were sorry when the previous owners retired, the new owners have taken up the baton and the Commerce remains a very reliable lunch stop in Bauge. It still doesn't open in the evenings or on Sundays.
Next week I hope to review the new, high class restaurant in Bauge to see what their rather pricier lunch is like - watch this space!
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