And here is a review by one of our lovely guest...

We were very glad to have already an article in the press, but what we are the most happy about are the lovely messages left by our guests. Those are the reviews that truly move our hearts and fill our souls with joy. So here is one of them, to thank them.

"I have always thought that it is risky business telling the chef what to cook, by choosing from a menu. They are well known to be creative and moody characters and so it has always been my strongly held belief that whoever is cooking should be the one to decide what they are in the 'mood' for creating. The food I experienced at The Fr...ench House tasted like it had been dreamed about, that its creator had churned it through his mind, testing, tasting and perfecting and yet still allowing the spontoneity of the produce and the day to live in his food. the attention to detail in the service, ambience and food imprinted something I had not expected, I felt cared for. Simple and yet somewhat rare and while I can remember everything I ate in vivid detail it is this feeling that has lingered. It is quite something to have the dreams of someone on a plate before you and to be in a room that holds those dreams in place. The French House left all of my previous dining experiences for dust. Keep dreaming for I am definatly coming back for more." Nadine

The French House in the press!

Kim Knight, from The Sunday Star Times, attended our last event... here is a short extract:

"Secret supper clubs operate from Berlin (The Shy Chef) to Buenos Aires (La Cocina Discreta). They are a barely legal dining experience that relies on word-of-mouth advertising. Patrons pay a suggested donation, bring their own alcohol and eat in suburban lounges, empty shops and private backyards. Some are run by chefs who can't afford their own restaurants. Others by enthusiastic home cooks. The concept has had so much press, that in 2006, the Wall Street Journal reported a backlash: "Kitchen not so confidential. Underground restaurants go public, lose cachet." It may be an international phenomenon, but until six weeks ago, it had not hit New Zealand. Then suddenly, one weekend in May, two unrelated secret restaurants opened for one night only."

And here is the link to the article: Meat and Mrs. Jones

Bastille Day, july 14......let's eat !

Allons enfants de la Patrie,	Come, children of the Fatherland (Homeland),
Le jour de gloire est arrivé !	The day of glory has arrived!
Contre nous de la tyrannie,	Against us, Tyranny's
L'étendard sanglant est levé, (bis)	Bloody banner is raised, (repeat)
Entendez-vous dans les campagnes	Do you hear in the countryside
Mugir ces féroces soldats ?	Those ferocious soldiers roaring?
Ils viennent jusque dans vos bras	They come up to your arms
Égorger vos fils, vos compagnes !	To slit the throats of your sons and wives!
Aux armes, citoyens,	To arms, citizens,
Formez vos bataillons,	Form your battalions,
Marchons, marchons !	Let's march, let's march!
Qu'un sang impur	May an impure blood
Abreuve nos sillons !	Water our furrows!
Que veut cette horde d'esclaves,	What does this horde of slaves,
De traîtres, de rois conjurés ?	Of traitors and conjured kings want?
Pour qui ces ignobles entraves,	For whom are these ignoble trammels,
Ces fers dès longtemps préparés ? (bis)	These long-prepared fetters? (repeat)
Français, pour nous, ah ! quel outrage	Frenchmen, for us, ah! What outrage
Quels transports il doit exciter !	What fury it must arouse!
C'est nous qu'on ose méditer	It is we whom they dare plan
De rendre à l'antique esclavage !	To return to ancient slavery!
Aux armes, citoyens...	To arms, citizens...
Quoi ! des cohortes étrangères	What! Foreign cohorts
Feraient la loi dans nos foyers !	Would make law in our homes!
Quoi ! ces phalanges mercenaires	What! These mercenary phalanxes
Terrasseraient nos fiers guerriers ! (bis)	Would strike down our proud warriors! (repeat)
Grand Dieu ! par des mains enchaînées	Great God ! By chained hands
Nos fronts sous le joug se ploieraient	Our heads would bow under the yoke
De vils despotes deviendraient	Vile despots would become
Les maîtres de nos destinées !	The masters of our destinies!
Aux armes, citoyens...	To arms, citizens...
Tremblez, tyrans et vous perfides	Tremble, tyrants and you traitors
L'opprobre de tous les partis,	The shame of all parties,
Tremblez ! vos projets parricides	Tremble! Your parricidal schemes
Vont enfin recevoir leurs prix ! (bis)	Will finally receive their prizes! (repeat)
Tout est soldat pour vous combattre,	Everyone is a soldier to combat you
S'ils tombent, nos jeunes héros,	If they fall, our young heroes,
La terre en produit de nouveaux,	The earth produces new ones,
Contre vous tout prêts à se battre !	Against you, all ready to fight!
Aux armes, citoyens...	To arms, citizens...
Français, en guerriers magnanimes,	Frenchmen, as magnanimous warriors,
Portez ou retenez vos coups !	Bear or hold back your blows!
Épargnez ces tristes victimes,	Spare these sorry victims,
À regret s'armant contre nous. (bis)	Arming against us with regrets. (repeat)
Mais ces despotes sanguinaires,	But these bloodthirsty despots,
Mais ces complices de Bouillé,	But these accomplices of Bouillé,
Tous ces tigres qui, sans pitié,	All these tigers who, mercilessly,
Déchirent le sein de leur mère !	Rip their mother's breast!
Aux armes, citoyens...	To arms, citizens...
Amour sacré de la Patrie,	Sacred love of the Fatherland,
Conduis, soutiens nos bras vengeurs	Lead, support our avenging arms
Liberté, Liberté chérie,	Liberty, cherished Liberty,
Combats avec tes défenseurs ! (bis)	Fight with thy defenders! (repeat)
Sous nos drapeaux que la victoire	Under our flags, shall victory
Accoure à tes mâles accents,	Hurry to thy manly accents,
Que tes ennemis expirants	Shall thy expiring enemies,
Voient ton triomphe et notre gloire !	See thy triumph and our glory!
Aux armes, citoyens...	To arms, citizens...
(Couplet des enfants)	(Children's Verse)
Nous entrerons dans la carrière[3]	We shall enter in the (military) career
Quand nos aînés n'y seront plus,	When our elders are no longer there,
Nous y trouverons leur poussière	There we shall find their dust
Et la trace de leurs vertus (bis)	And the trace of their virtues (repeat)
Bien moins jaloux de leur survivre	Much less jealous to survive them
Que de partager leur cercueil,	Than to share their coffins,
Nous aurons le sublime orgueil	We shall have the sublime pride
De les venger ou de les suivre	Of avenging or following them
Aux armes, citoyens...	To arms, citizens...