Café Rouge, Petergate, York

11:13am Saturday 3rd May 2008

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THERE have been occasions in the past 13 years when we have wondered how a snack spot could justify the prices asked in relation to the quality provided.

Never before have we been dumbfounded! How on earth could any profit be made out of the snack we had just enjoyed.

The A-board outside Cafe Rouge is deceptive. It offers any breakfast item plus tea/coffee plus fruit juice for a fiver.

It was around 11am when we entered expecting, perhaps, to receive croissants and drinks. How wrong we were!

There are steps up from street level, leading into the front room that houses the bar and about a dozen seats.

I later discovered two further rooms which brought the capacity to around 50.

We were each handed a Petit Dejeuner menu. Did the advert really mean any of the items listed? Apparently so.

Yes, we could have a croissant with combinations of egg, bacon, sausage, plum tomato and melted camembert. Alternatively there was a basket of petit croissant, pain aux raisins or chocolat with a baguette and jam.

However, we could not resist the more interesting items.

For Ann, the choice was crepe aux champignons (a savoury pancake filled with flat mushrooms and plum tomato topped with a fried egg). The snack lived up to its description and had been cooked to perfection.

A generous glass of cranberry juice and a latte coffee completed Ann's excellent snack.

For me, the choice was difficult. Although the menu was written in French there was a comprehensive mouth-watering explanation of each item.

Should I select the Classic French breakfast of smoked ham and Gruyere cheese croquet topped with a fried egg or a filled baguette?

Oeufs Benedictes (poached eggs and smoked ham on toasted brioche) was an option but Saumon Benedicte (smoked salmon on toasted brioche with two poached eggs and hollandaise sauce) won the day.

If all you want is a coffee there is plenty of choice.

But why sample only that when there is such a range of breakfast items to accompany a drink at this reasonable price?

A discreet advert on each table mentioned afternoon tea, but no details were given.

I feel this is something we shall be investigating before long.