Restaurant Le Retinton

Or my wife will punch you in the nose ! We were surprised how lovely and charming and polite the French were on our recent trip to France, and no more so than the staff and management at Le Retinton.We arrived in Beajeau on a beautiful sunny day, quite late for lunch, without reservation. After a fruitless search through town we stumbled upon this place. We were 7 adults and two children, not an easy size to seat. Though well after noon, the place was still almost full. We walked inside and saw three empty tables for two and asked if we could put them all together and grab extra chairs. Looking at the consternation on the faces of the staff I wasn't hopeful, and understood completely as we would have seriously blocked access to and from the kitchen. And it was late, I thought the kitchen may be shutting down or not have many meals left, and as they went out the back to I thought here we go, it's too much trouble. The Manager came out and lots of talking amongst the staff and just when I thought we'd be getting our marching orders, the Manager asks if we'd 'mind' sitting outside ? Mind ! We jumped at the chance. It would be the best seats in the house.Turns out all that talk wasn't about how to tell us we couldn't stay for lunch, it was about how 'we' might mind being seated. Next thing we know there's tables and chairs being carried out and set up out the front. We were placed in a small courtyard, next to a fountain, under a shady tree, looking out at a quaint street and at children playing with their Grandfather. How very French.So, after they've bent over backwards for us we mostly order the set menu, which was quite inexpensive, but the six year old can't find anything to his liking. He umms and ahhs and just can't decide and i'm thinking the staff have to get shirty soon, and next thing the waitress walks off... and comes back with the Manager, who's all smiles. He has a nice chat with the six year old, and discovers that he would like a simple pasta with a tomato based sauce. Only problem is it's not on the menu. "No, it's not a problem, the Chef will be happy to make something up." Well, our dishes were pretty good, but that pasta with tomato sauce that the Chef whipped up on the fly was magnificent. I know, because the serve was too large for the 6 y.o. and I scoffed the rest.I felt obliged to have dessert and was glad that I did. There was a liqueur flavour in it I could not recognise and on asking found it was a local specialty. Next thing I know the Manager comes out with a bottle and offers us all a drink on the house, and stays for a chat. We could not have had a better afternoon.So, if travelling down this way, you must drop in here for lunch. And if you ever meet my wife, well, you best speak well of the French !

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We loved the friendly welcome, the freshness and quality of ingredients and taste of this french creative cuisine. Everything here is made singlehandedly by the chef and your tastebuds will know the difference straight away. The menu (23€) changes with seasons, and as we were here between two, we got to try a bit of both. I really loved the poultry paté (terrine de volaille aux agrumes) for starters and chose the duck breast in a raspberry sauce, which came with a little ratatouille and some Vitelotte potato purée. Lip licking delicious!Reason would tell to stop right there as your stomach is content, but how can you resist a dessert when you know it is homemade and you fancy everything on the menu?? I got to try the chocolate mousse, light and delicious, and a bit of the fondant au chocolat, pure decadence reaching absolute perfection.No need to mention the wine, you are in Beaujeu after all, but if you fancy something else than Beaujolais, the wine list will accommodate tastefully.Le Retinton is definitely an address to keep.

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One of the great pleasures of touring rural France is finding small family run restaurants that specialise in home cooking.Le Retention is no exception... nothing sensational, just solid well-prepared, well-cooked, well-presented simple traditional French dishes. Ma salade la César was a meal in itself, well-presented with a great sauce. And the apple tart was excellent. It cells its cooking Cuisine Bistronomique and that's exactly right. Bistro food well prepared, nothing too ambitious but using local fare and offering local dishes, like oeufs en Meurette (poached eggs in a rich wine sauce) magnet de canard, and good local cheeses. There are good historical reasons to visit Beaujeu as the original capital of the beaujolais wine region... Le Retention for simple local tucker is another.

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Very fresh ingredients - great quality of typical Beaujolais kitchen and beautiful Beaujolais cru wines ! Friendly and charming welcome, well-prepared local dishes. An address to keep ....

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The staff speak great English. Very accommodating but do try too book as it gets very busy. The food is fantastic and truly of the French style.

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