samedi 2 février 2013

Les plages, l'hôtel, et la déception...

For clarification, "déception" in French is roughly equivalent to disappointment in English.

I tell you this because "la déception" was exactly what became of what our hotel in Bayeux promised to us as a "traditional Normand dinner."

For everyone's education, let me describe to you what a traditional Norman dinner usually consists of: a seafood appetizer, normally fresh oysters (because Normandy is on the sea, and Norman oysters are recognized by some as the best in the world), followed by a main course of meat (normally duck, veal, or pré-salée agneau [lamb that is a specialty in Normandy]). After the "plat" is cheese, invariably Camembert, a cheese of which they are immensely proud. Dessert is an apple tart.

For your amusement at our expense, let us tell you what we received: dinner at a chain restaurant (How do I know it's a chain? Because I live in Orléans, and I see the EXACT same restaurant every day on my way home from school). For an appetizer: Anna got the eggs mayonnaise, I got terrine de oie, or goose pâté. For the entrée, Anna got roast chicken with green beans, I got steak with fries. Cheese? Yeah, right. Dessert was a gummy, cold apple tart, and the only part of our meal that was even remotely Norman.

While overall, I cannot complain about the quality, the deceptive nature of what we were promised from the hotel vs. what we received is enough to make you want to hurl, especially when you consider that there are most likely other people (ie, veterans returning to Normandy who want a Norman dinner) who are deceived in the exact same way. These people should be ashamed.

-Justin

encl.: I'm including proof positive of the steakhouse's status as a chain restaurant. Just so you know, I'm pretty sure it's a chain.

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