Au Bistrot Familial - Gençay

We have been here several times and sadly the standards are only going downhill. The basic Routiers menu is no longer quality as it used to be. The buffet starter has less and less selection and the main course dishes seem to be of a lower standard.

Buffet, well cooked main course, cheese, dessert, 25 cl of wine for 12.5 euros. Good service, great coffee. Go there if you are in the area.

We arrived at this little bistro, early for any set meal , but we enquired if we could have some breakfast as we were travelling on to the airport. It was about 11.30 AM and the tables were laid for their set menus. In addition, a range of salads and cold meats were also available. We were told that all we could have was coffee and bread . OK , we thought , that is all that is available as they obviously have a strict regime in place for their lunch menus. So we sat down at a little table with 2 pieces of already buttered bread and a nice cup of coffee . No sooner had we started our meagre breakfast , than the woman and her husband sat at the next table with their nice portion of chicken and chips. We were a little taken aback , but in the spirit of goodwilll to all French , I commented to my husband that the owner's lovely dog had eaten more protein than me. We quickly finished our buttered bread and left promptly . In the car we had a good laugh , what else could we do . We travelled on to Poitiers where we had a lovely lunch (at the alloted time that more and made up for our disastrous stop at the Au Bistrot Familial

Only open lunchtime, but offers a good value fixed menu. There is a help yourself hors d'oevres display counter then a choice of three or four main dishes, you help yourself to a selection of desserts and cheese and wine is included in the € 14 menu. Simply fare served quickly by friendly staff. Don't expect Michelin star dining, but this does not detract from pleasant wholesome food.

Look, you're not going to take your new and glamorous girlfriend here to impress her with the ambience and sophistication. You're choosing from a formule style menu, with options for 2, 3 or 4 courses. You're sitting amongst a clientele which is entirely French, all having a good time and enjoying the food. When you walk in, you're shown to seats which may well be, as ours were, at a large table in use by others but the French, of course (who in my experience, unlike the other reviewer , are polite, and acknowledge you as you sit and as they leave. They're polite enough not to laugh as you try your pidgin French on the non English speaking waitress. You help yourself to the salad and cold meats buffet and this is the first place where this restaurant really excels. The buffet superb. Go up for seconds no problem. Your hot main course is brought to you from the kitchen. Mine spaghetti carbonara with cream and an egg (hey when in France............. was absolutely lovely. Hot, pasta al dente, sauce excellent. Help yourself to a small piece of cheese from the chiller, and more bread; lovely. Just enough. Then back to get a pudding. The coffee was superb strong, and smooth. The staff are really very good indeed. Cheerful and charming. They banter with their customers, and enjoy it (so do the customers, evidently . At €12 for the full Monty, I'm not complaining. Basic it is, but I've had worse food by far in many an expensive hotel restaurant. Really enjoyed eating here; part of the experience of a French holiday.