This is a review about Cafe Rouge and in particular the one located in The Centre Milton Keynes.

One of my favourite places for lunch in Milton Keynes now is Cafe Rouge. According to their website:

"Café Rouge has embodied the style and je ne sais quoi of French dining since it opened way back in 1989 with a combination of delicious food, great wines and a real ambience. Our menu covers a range of French classics from croques and baguettes, ideal for a quick and easy snack, to more substantial fare such as steak frites and boeuf bourguignon. Likewise, our wines are predominately French, many made by lesser known producers, and provide the perfect accompaniment to the food on offer."

The Centre MK didn't used to have much in the way of nice dining, just a McDonald's and some restaurants outside but int he last couple of years they have added a sort of food court area where they have built such restaurants as Yo Sushi, Carluccio's, Nando's and Cafe Rouge to name but a few. I always like to stop at Cafe Rouge for lunch rather than dinner as I see it as more of a nice lunch restaurant than a posh dinner restaurant.

It's fairly in the middle, near to the Marks and Spencer side of the shopping centre than John Lewis but easy to find on the automated store finders located throughout the centre. The restaurant is fairly big and what I like is that outside the restaurant there are tables and chairs with umbrellas and lots of plants all around which gives you the impression that you are sitting outside in some lovely little French town soaking up the atmosphere and enjoying the sunshine even though you are sitting in the middle of a shopping centre!

Like it says above Cafe Rouge is a French restaurant. It is a chain of restaurants so it's not what I would call a unique quality French restaurant but to get a feel of food from this country it's a nice place to go. Each restaurant looks the same and has nice warm decorations in my opinion. The colour scheme is red and cream which is quite inviting and on the walls there are always lots of paintings and prints with wine/food/French themes etc, really working with the decor and theme of the restaurant.

The food is what I would call typical French, lots of cheese, bread (baguette) and steak dishes which are very tasty. In fact my favourite dish at lunch is always the steak baguette which comes with some lovely pomme frites as well. The desserts in here are to die for and again something typically French like crepes with lots of chocolate as the main ingredient. My favourite dessert is the waffle with a poached pear on top and lashings of warm chocolate sauce that the staff pour on for you once it reaches the table.

I feel sometimes it is a little expensive for lunch in here compared to say just going to a Pizza Express or something like that but the food and atmosphere is worth it and in this particular restaurant I have always food the staff very helpful. Whether this is because they have only opened recently and are trying to make a good impression but I do think it is good. Usually my lunch will come to about £15 which is a bit expensive but worth it now and again.

I haven't used it at this restaurant but when I worked in London there was one right near our office in St Katharine's Docks and Cafe Rouge offered a Plats Rapids which basically means a fast meal so when we only had an hour for lunch this was perfect.

A nice place for a bit of French cuisine!