Rostang Atlantis, 04 426 2626


The first thing that strikes you as you stroll into this French bistro perched out on the Palm, is how unpretentious the décor and ambience are for a restaurant with a two Michelin-starred chef at the helm. A completely authentic take on a classic bistro you might stumble upon just off the Champs Elysee, the vibe is so casual chic, it’s one of the few high-end restaurants where you could happily enjoy a wine-lashed dinner with the girls, as well as take a romantic bite ensconced in the corner with your man.

The menu is fabulously unpretentious and non-daunting (phew!), and the crab cakes would be our recommendation every time – with their crispy-fried outer shell encasing soft, herby chunks of crab inside. The Alaskan King Crab was also a fave, plus there’s a super-rich must-try foie gras on the menu – accompanied (natch!) by oodles of vin rouge. As the low hum of intimate conversation buzzes around the dark wood-panelled dining area, take time out if you want to be totally continental about the whole experience and string your meal our for hours, and order up a traditional French beverage such as Pastis or Menthe a l’eau at the bar (tres Carrie Bradshaw en Paris).

For mains, there are of course amazing steaks, but this is really a seafood-lovers heaven, with a choice of oysters, mussels, crab, prawns, the fresh catch of the day, a well-thought out selection of accompaniments, from the comforting – rich, creamy potatoes – to the less sinful fresh green salad and veggies.

The scallops and fennel are to be commended and the tuna is divine, but the gold star goes to the lobster – served half or whole according to your appetite – saturated in garlic butter and yielding firm chunks of oh-so flavoursome bites.

For dessert, the lemon cake with yoghurt sorbet was a fantastically light end to a meal that, despite its lashings of superrich ingredients never gets heavy. To sum up this review in a crabshell: Ooh la la, we cannot wait to go back!

Ahlan! has teamed up with The Atlantis to offer one lucky reader a meal for two at Rostang. To enter, log on and answer the question online.

Ended On Thursday,26 November , 2009

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