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An Evening at Cafe Rouge The Oracle Reading

August 14, 2015 by April Harris 4 Comments

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Cafe Rouge The Oracle Reading Review on AprilJHarris.com
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.

Cafe Rouge The Oracle Reading A Review on AprilJHarris.com

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.

Cafe Rouge The Oracle Reading A Review on AprilJHarris.com
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.

Cafe Rouge The Oracle Reading A Review on AprilJHarris.com
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.

Cafe Rouge The Oracle Reading A Review on AprilJHarris.com
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.

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Filed Under: Featured Front Page Slider, Food, Life, Restaurants Tagged With: Berkshire restaurants, Cafe Rouge, French dining in Reading, French restaurants in Reading, restaurants in Reading, summerdine, the Oracle Reading, where to eat at The Oracle, where to eat in Reading

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Comments

  1. Daphne says

    August 14, 2015 at 4:04 pm

    Good Afternoon April, I used to live in Camberley many years ago, and know Reading quite well….. although I feel sure it has changed. If I ever visit Reading, I would love to visit Cafe Rouge as your review was excellent, and I loved the food on offer. I love Sea Bass and although I also love chocolate, the Tarte au Citron looked fabulous. You won me over when I saw the sign for Eggs Benedict…. delicious.
    Best Wishes
    Daphne

    Reply
    • April Harris says

      August 16, 2015 at 1:18 pm

      Hi, Daphne, Wow, Camberley is just up the road, we would have been practically neighbours 🙂 Thank you so much, I’m really glad you enjoyed the review. Best wishes, April

      Reply
  2. GiGi Eats says

    September 11, 2015 at 4:33 am

    OH THAT FISH ENTREE is exactly what I would order!!

    Reply
    • April Harris says

      September 11, 2015 at 9:02 am

      It really was delicious, GiGi 🙂

      Reply

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