An Evening at Cafe Rouge The Oracle Reading

Recently my husband and I spent an evening at Cafe Rouge The Oracle Reading. I had previously attended a Safari Supper to learn more about the wonderful restaurants at The Oracle and their  #summerdine promotion. I was subsequently invited to review Café Rouge.

I had not been to Café Rouge the Oracle Reading in a long time and I was excited to see that they had undergone a refurbishment and also had a new, more extensive menu. We were greeted warmly as we arrived and offered a really nice table near their fashionable bar. It was immediately apparent Café Rouge have a great selection on wines on offer. Many of them were at great value price points too.

While we perused the menu, I enjoyed a refreshing glass of their Sauvignon Blanc. As it was a warm evening, my husband chose one of their draft beers. To be fair, the evening was nice enough that had we arrived a bit earlier, we could have enjoyed a round of Jurassic Golf before our meal – perhaps next time!

The waitress and the manager, Scott, were very friendly and the atmosphere was really relaxed. My husband grew up in France and he commented that the restaurant really did have a pretty authentic French bistro feel to it.

While we waited for our starters were were offered bread and olives. The bread arrived on a long wooden board with tiny pots of butter, tapenade and garlic butter. The presentation was fantastic and I loved the mini baguettes.

I chose French Onion Soup to start and was delighted to see it arrive deconstructed, with tiny croutons and a small pot of grated cheese.

I liked adding exactly what I wanted to my soup and it really did taste delicious. My husband’s Fried Camembert were crunchy on the outside and soft and gooey on the inside, just as they should be. He enjoyed the fruity sauce that came with them as well.

Both of us chose fish for our main courses – my husband opting for a traditional Moules Frites, mussels in a cream sauce accompanied by skinny French chips.

Having eaten a lot of Moules Frites over the years, my husband is pretty qualified to judge, and he raved about this dish. I was equally impressed by the presentation of my fillet of Sea Bass on a bed of fresh seasonal vegetables and new potatoes.

The fish was perfectly cooked and there wasn’t a single bone in it. I also loved the crisp al dente vegetables alongside quartered new potatoes and fresh halved cherry tomatoes.

We were almost too full for dessert but couldn’t resist Café Rouge’s Trio of Desserts, a mini Tarte Tatin, Chocolate Fondant and Tarte au Citron.

We particularly enjoyed the Tarte au Citron, which was creamy, lemony and tart, just like those I have enjoyed on holidays in France. Personally, I found the Chocolate Fondant hard to resist and the mini Tarte Tatin made us think that next time we just might share a full size version.

We decided to finish off our meal with a hot drink. Café Rouge offer a great selection of delicious coffees, from espresso to cappuccino. As it was later in the evening I was pleased to discover they also do decaffeinated coffees. Freshly made, nutty and delicious, my cappuccino and my husband’s macchiato were the perfect way to round out the meal.

I’m really happy to recommend Café Rouge at The Oracle Reading. There’s something for just about everyone on the menu and the quality of the food and service was excellent. Whether it’s dinner for two or a family lunch, I’m sure you will enjoy a visit to this little French bistro in the heart of Reading.

From 1 August to 6 September shoppers can enjoy The Oracle’s #summerdine promotion by downloading and registering the new free Oracle Plus App for great discounts on food and drink at The Oracle Reading.

This review contains my own honest opinions. Our meals were complimentary but this has not affected my opinion of the restaurant or the food, both of which exceeded my expectations.