Forums > Areas > Jalisco's Lake Chapala Region

johninajijic

Oct 15, 2010, 10:34 PM

Post #1 of 6 (5734 views)

Shortcut

LAURENT'S RESTAURANT Review in Hotel Casa Blanca in Ajijic

Can't Post | Private Reply

Tonight five of us dined at the new LAURENT’S restaurant located in the Hotel Casa Blanca on 16th de Septiembre. It is without a doubt the best atmosphere and most elegant restaurant in Ajijic. It is years ahead of Number 4 in quality, price, atmosphere and service. You have to go there to appreciate it.

First served was a bread basket with a type of Basil oil for dipping. Drink and wine orders followed. We ordered our Appetizers. Four of us ordered Caesar Salad, prepared fresh at your table, the old fashioned way. One person ordered Duck Confit with a fruit Chutney sauce. The appetizers were excellent.

Then we ordered our main meals, Two of us had Duck Confit served over a medley of veggies; potatoes, carrots and zucchini. One person had Homemade Gnocchis in a Pesto cream sauce. Another person had the Salmon with béarnaise sauce. Another person had one of the Specials, Scallops in white wine sauce over mashed potatoes with veggies.

Two desserts were offered: a Pistachio Crème Brulee and a Lebanese Flan with rosewater sauce. Three chose the Crème Brulee and one chose the Lebanese Flan.

All of the food was excellent, food arrived hot at the same time. Service was excellent. We highly recommend Laurent’s as the “best” restaurant in Ajijic.

Food quality: Excellent
Portion sizes: Good
Ambiance: Perfect
Prices: Average
Service: Excellent
Cleanliness: Excellent

Laurent ‘s Cuisine at Hotel Casa Blanca
Calle 16 de Septiembre #29 Ajijic
376 766 1500
Tues - Sat 12:30 pm - 10:00 pm
Sunday 1:00 pm - 9: 00 pm
Email: laurentatcasablanca@gmail.com

Hound Dog

Nov 10, 2010, 6:40 PM

Post #2 of 6 (5490 views)

Shortcut

Re: [johninajijic] LAURENT'S RESTAURANT Review in Hotel Casa Blanca in Ajijic

Can't Post | Private Reply

We visited Laurents for the first time tonight and were quite pleased. I had the rib eye with bearnaise and my wife had the salmon with aioli. Both dishes were very good and Laurent is an entertaining chef. A fine place worth a visit in a town not noted for good restaurant fare.

Hound Dog

Nov 12, 2010, 9:47 AM

Post #3 of 6 (5397 views)

Shortcut

Re: [Hound Dog] LAURENT'S RESTAURANT Review in Hotel Casa Blanca in Ajijic

Can't Post | Private Reply

Laurent is an amusing fellow and French Basque who, as with most good chefs, is a highly entertaining personality. Unfortunately, he doesn´t speak English so that may limit your discourse with him.

Laurent was the chef at La Gasconade which failed and came back to Ajijic to start Laurent´s with a simpler menu in what Dawg would characterize as a French bistro style cuisine. A fine idea. More interesting than the overblown formulaec fare at a place such as Hole In One with its hopelessly precious menu emulating cooking school standards of little merit pushed by inexperienced critics with limited knowledge.

As I stated earlier, I had the ribeye with bearnaise because I am a bearnaise freak in a land of no bearnaise and my wife had a splendid salmon with ailoi. The bearnaise was inadequate but the meal and ambience was superior. Laurent has a supplier of lamb in a town not noted for good lamb so the next time I go there which will be soon, I plan to order the intriguing lamb loin with ginger and raw cashews. I must have it rare as lamb should always be served. That sounds like a fine and innovative dish.

As we left, we noted that the adjacent restaurant Simply Thai, where any resemblance to true Thai food is purely coincidental, was full of Gringos thinking they were consuming Thai cuisine. I guess as long as you don´t know what you are missing you don´t miss it.

For those of you wishing to experience true French bistro style food while avoiding all the really bad pretentious food offerred ad nauseum around here, don´t miss Laurent´s. A fine and accomplished bistro in this hick town.

(This post was edited by Hound Dog on Nov 12, 2010, 9:51 AM)

tashby

Nov 12, 2010, 1:55 PM

Post #4 of 6 (5358 views)

Shortcut

Re: [Hound Dog] LAURENT'S RESTAURANT Review in Hotel Casa Blanca in Ajijic

Can't Post | Private Reply

I got excited when I saw your post a couple of days ago, but now I'm just confused. You praise the meal but then describe the bearnaise as "inadequate". I don't understand.

I had his cassoulet at La Gasconade once but didn't think much of it. Others seemed to like it though.

I'm sure I'll try Restaurant Laurent at some point, but nothing I've heard so far compels me to hurry.

Gringal

Nov 12, 2010, 2:15 PM

Post #5 of 6 (5351 views)

Shortcut

Re: [Hound Dog] LAURENT'S RESTAURANT Review in Hotel Casa Blanca in Ajijic

Can't Post | Private Reply

"Adequate Bernaise" is hard to find. Anywhere. They had it at a little restaurant called El Pagaso in San Miguel for a while, and I would have been quite happy to just have a a bowl of it and a loaf of good French bread........but that wasn't on the menu. I would have had a sorry tummy later......so just as well.

I will take even somewhat inadequate bernaise........but would prefer it on a a cut other than a ribeye. On the other hand.........I'll probably have the salmon. In any case, it's so nearby that it would be a shame to pass it up. We had three meals at his old location. The first two were fine. On the third, very bad aftereffects, so never returned. I really don't care if the waiter is charming or not....just as long as he's paying attention to the matter at hand.

I was entertained by your colorful description of Hole in One. I suspected as much, but didn't try it for myself. For a dine-out experience, I want more "ambiance".

Carry on.

Hound Dog

Nov 12, 2010, 2:19 PM

Post #6 of 6 (5350 views)

Shortcut

Re: [tashby] LAURENT'S RESTAURANT Review in Hotel Casa Blanca in Ajijic

Can't Post | Private Reply

Forgive me for seeming incongruent, Tashby. I must say that the bearnaise was insipid and unworthy of note and the ribeye was indistinguished but, at the same time, I sort of liked Laurent who is one hell of an entertainer so my review was, of necessity, mixed and I fell into what I would declare a French state of mind as, if you have spent any time in France, you will discern means that Dawg was befallen to confused declarations of merit in that, while the food was less than superlative, the ambiance was such that one sort of enjoyed the experience if you get my drift and so, the dinner was quite successful sort of like dinner in Tunis among close friends of the Arab persuasion sharing good spicy soups and bread and couscous and a bit of rosé and maybe some cold beer and when it´s all over one never forgets the meal even if it were mediocre because the company was fine and the wine was good and the spices of the soup and the freshness of the bread were unforgettable and, after all, that is what life is all about is it not?

Dawg could sit at home and eat BLTs ´till the cows came home and, once those BLTs were finished, there Dawg would have it. Assorted BLTs turning to crap inside Dawg and that is that.

(This post was edited by Hound Dog on Nov 12, 2010, 2:29 PM)