REVIEW: Café de l’Espérance, Bouliac, Bordeaux, France

If there were ever the perfect bistro, I think I’ve found it. When you conjure it up in your mind you are always hoping for it to be oh-so French, a little charming and the food outstanding – yet all very casual and very well priced. Well that’s exactly what Café de l’Espérance is, and then some. The bistro is run by luxury hotel Le Saint James across the road, of which you’ll see elements of it here, especially in the patisserie creations. We visited on a glorious day and with everyone dining outside, we stayed inside, enjoying all of its rustic glory and welcoming service, while tucking into a delicious bottle of local red Bordeaux wine and toiling over the hand-written daily specials menu on the back of the door. They have a great selection of top wines available by the glass too.

Food wise there’s a lot to choose from, with a menu all in French and a choice of entrées and desserts which can be either taken from the a la carte, or for a more casual affair a buffet option can be had. The entrée buffet was jam-packed and very fresh. Mountains of juicy prawns, flaky tuna, salads, potatoes and everything else in-between. We opted for a whole roasted and grilled Camembert with extra-large croutons for dipping. This was France in a few gooey and delicious bites.

We arrived at Café de l’Espérance just an hour after landing in Bordeaux, starving ourself that morning and the night before in preparation, with just one thing on our mind – steak. With too many prime cuts to choose from on the menu we went for two French classics, onglet and entrecote. Both were cooked to a perfect medium-rare and tender in the mouth, but still with a little bite, making for some incredibly tasty beef and a bargain at under 20 Euros. Each steak comes inclusive of skin on fries and side salad with a magical dressing. Make sure you ask for a side of peppercorn sauce to drizzle over the steak.

What really makes Café de l’Espérance one of the perfect bistros, is its buffet choice of desserts. For around 10 euros you can eat as many sweet treats from the patisserie counter as you can manage and trust me, you’ll want to make space. All of the cakes come straight from the Michelin starred kitchens of Le Saint James across the road, each with such precision. The passion fruit bavarois was legendary, the tarts were rich and buttery – but the half-chocolate sphere stuffed with an orange jelly was so good I wanted to pack them up and take them home.

If you’re visiting Le Saint James or Bordeaux then Café de l’Espérance should be at the top of your list. It’s French, serves terrific local French wines and comes with friendly French service. This is no frills dining at its best, but with a touch of that je ne sais quoi that simply can’t help but charm the senses. I only wish Café de l’Espérance was my local back here in London – I’d never go anywhere else.

8/10