La Vallee Blanche

We were looking for a restaurant on Unilocal with good food reviews and where the attire was casual, so we chose La Vallee Blanche. The atmosphere is rustic but inviting, the service was excellent and the food was very good. Two in the party had filet mignon and one had roasted chicken.
We strongly recommend this restaurant for anyone looking for French cuisine in a casual setting. Our only complaint was the temperature of the restaurant. We dined in the evening following a warm sunny day and the restaurant was still very warm. Being visitors to Scotland, we were not sure if they had air conditioning.

I only recently visited this gem after accidentally recognizing the entrance and the Michelin recommendation sticker. The food was sublime. Plus, best goat cheese I have ever had. The atmosphere is serene, and the service was spot on. Guys, impress your date by taking her here for some fantastic French cuisine.

I popped in here for some Sunday lunch .
The service was ok a bit on the slow side.
We opted for the 2 coarses on the set menu.
I loved the bread that got sent out before the starters
My partner in crime had the chicken pâté to start it was more like a mousse though but I was informed that it was nice.
I had better luck on my choice of starter as I went for the porkbelly and scallops I loved this dish could have ate this all day .
As for the mains we went for the chicken breast and pork chop it was pretty simple but very good value for the money we paid.
I think I will have to go back and try the al’a carte as it sounded amazing.

This is my dad’s favourite restaurant in the west end so we come here for his birthday every year.
It wasn’t that busy for a Saturday lunchtime but that’s probably to be expected at the start of January. It also meant we were seated at one of the tables along the window, which is booth style and perfect for parties of five or six. Nice and cosy and great for getting everyone involved in the conversation.
We chose the set menu: 2 courses for £12 or three for £14. There was a choice of four for each course which I thought was reasonable, with an extra £4 charge for the steak frites.
On this visit we did find it odd that there were some other influences on the menu, given it was a French restaurant. Like Pollo Milanese and pancetta.
People had mixed opinion on the starters. My celeriac velouté was lovely: hot, smooth and creamy with crispy onions on top. A couple of others had the cured duck, which they thought was a bit odd– not horrible– just a bit unexpected in terms of the mix of flavours but not in an altogether pleasurable way, if you know what I mean!
Four of us had steak frites, which includes a big pile of frites and a top notch steak cooked perfectly to everyone’s preference. It came with a flat cap mushroom and grilled tomato. Not everyone appreciated the mushroom but I thought mine was nice and juicy. My BF, who didn’t have a starter, chose the beef bourguignon and, while he said it was delicious, the portion was quite mean. Which was a shame as he had watched us eating our starters, while his tummy rumbled.
Two people had the chocolate tarte dessert which was just enough rich, smooth delicious chocolate before you tipped into a cocoa coma! It came with lovely ice cream which unfortunately melted pretty quickly.
The house Sauvignon Blanc was very nice.
The total bill for 2 bottles of plonk, four 2 courses and one 3 course was extremely reasonable.

We’ve been meaning to visit here for years and finally got around to it. So I definitely have that feeling of being excited about trying it but nervous about whether it would be good. I’d also spied that they were doing a deal offer recently for a burger & a pint at lunch time which really confused me as I thought this was meant to be an upmarket French restaurant. We made a booking for a really early dinner and went along. The restaurant itself is a lot more rustic than I’d imagined but I think that’s the look they’re going for.
I’d checked out the menu online for the pre theatre which is different to what you actually get offered when you’re seated. The menu online has 5 starters and 6 mains whereas the menu offered had two options for each. I’m a person who likes to look at a menu in advance and get an idea of what’s on offer — I accept that sometimes the menu in the restaurant is different but I was disappointed by the options on offer.
Entrée options were lamb’s tongue or a salmon tart, mains were pork belly or hake fillet. For a two course meal it was £12 which is pretty reasonable. Looking over the wine list, all the wines by the glass were pretty expensive even for a small glass so our final bill came to nearly £40 with one glass of wine each (one small, one large).
I ordered the salmon tart and the hake. We were presented with a bread roll beforehand as well as complementary crudités which of course is always appreciated. The roll didn’t seem very fresh but the crudités were really lovely, a nice crisp bread base with salmon on top. The salmon tart was fine — a buttery crumbly pastry which tended to overpower the rest of the flavour. There was a nice mix of salmon on the plate — smoked and cooked pieces but overall the dish was a bit bland for my liking.
Main was the hake fillet which came with some wilted greens, mushrooms and pickled onions. This was just a weird dish to be honest, I can’t even explain it but nothing seemed to go together taste wise, the pickled onions overpowered the mushrooms and the hake was bland. It needed some kind of sauce to bring it all together or something.
Service was fine. I mean that in a literal sense — some of the staff were more friendly than others and generally everything happened in the order it should have. The wine I ordered was not available and the waiter told me there was another rosé not on the menu that they could substitute but they didn’t tell me what it was or whether it was the same price. The rosé was fine so I didn’t mention this.
Maybe the experience is better if you have the a la carte menu. Personally, I like to try out a pre theatre at a restaurant to get a preview of whether it is worth paying for the a la carte. I was seriously underwhelmed by the food so I’m not likely to return any time soon.

Found this place thanks to Unilocal.
If your trying to impress the woman in your life with a cosy restaurant with great food and wine, this is the place. Low lighting, great food and wine, and the feeling that you could be eating in the alps somewhere.
I had the scallops starter, laid on beetroot and cucumber. It was delicous and fresh tasting. Played it safe for the main course with steak and chips, but if I was feeling more adventurous there was plenty of the menu. The glass of Bordeaux that i had with my steak was a beautiful smokey flavour that complimented the steak perfectly.
I had to grab the waiters attention to get service every so often, but that was no big deal.
This is the first restaurant i’ve eaten in for a while that I would recommend to friends.

Our Special Place!
La Vallee Blanche has come up trumps for us on a number of occasions when something was in need of celebrating; birthdays, anniversaries, and a couple of graduations. Last month we hot-​footed it to this french influenced restaurant above Fopp on the Byres Road. There were other families also celebrating graduations that had the same idea. Perhaps because its is out of sight of street level, it tends to be less frantic than other popular venues.
Our newly graduated Mistress of Arts particularly loves La Vallee Blanche because their set menus offer smaller portions than the a la carte, allowing us to go the whole 3 course hog. Those with heartier appetites might prefer the a la carte, though at £12.95 for three courses (when booked through 5pm website) its hard not to opt for this three course bargain! The drinks aren’t quite such a bargain but you can’t have everything, though they do bring a bottle of water to the table free of charge.
In previous visits a complimentary amouse bouche was served but not this time. Maybe they’ve cut this out to save raising the costs. I wouldn’t blame them. I don’t know how they manage to serve up such utterly stunning food for such a low price-​point. On this occasion the vegetarian option was risotto. I’m really not a fan of boring old risotto and my heart sank, but only very briefly. It was by far the best risotto I have ever tasted and I thoroughly enjoyed it. The carnivores all chose the steak with date purée and mash. It sounded like a strange concoction but was apparently quite lovely.
Desserts were great as they always are, though I have a slight preference for their winter pud like clafoutie and sticky pudding with crème anglais, so another visit later in the year is on the cards.
I’ve always found the staff and service to be excellent. If you haven’t been tempted up the stairs to La Vallee Blanche I wholeheartedly recommend you give it a try. Sit by the window!

I’ve walked past this place for years and never been in, which I don’t quite understand. I think because it’s up stairs, and looks A Bit Posh, and you can’t see in windows to check it out… I dunno. I don’t think of myself as a fan of french cuisine. But me and the boy decided that we’d try their steakfrites deal, which seemed fairly reasonable.
Now, I did feel a bit underdressed. And having a bag of shopping with us didn’t really help, but the waiters were completely unfussed. The food was really quite good, and the wine was excellent — so much so that it’s put me back on track drinking french wine.
Nommity. One to take the ‘rents to next time they’re up…

Over the years I’ve developed a love of all things French — finally giving in to temptation and moving to France for ten months in 2010. During my time there I got the opportunity to sample real French food, so I think I have a reasonably well-​developed palate when it comes to this.
I used to walk past La Vallee Blanche five days a week on the way to HIllhead to get the tube into town for work, so I’ve been aware of it for a while but haven’t had the opportunity to sample it until quite recently.
I went for the classic option of Steak and Frites, which was served with various seasonal veg and a delicious red wine butter sauce. This came in at a very reasonable £11.95. The food itself was lovely — the steak was cooked to perfection and the service was friendly, attentive and efficient.
The interior is charming, the menu authentic and well thought out. I think the staff deserve a special mention here too, fantastic.
I’m planning to go back at some point to sample the A La Carte menu as I was duly impressed.
A lovely little taste of France in Glasgow’s West End!
Délicieux!

Popped in here with friends at the weekend. I wasn’t familiar with the place so had no ideas or preconceptions of what it would be like.
Great menu choice and the food was sensational! Everything was cooked to perfection. I had the Shellfish Bisque, Lamb for main, followed by the selecion of cheeses. Of the 6 of us who dined not one could find fault the exceptional flavour and presentation… A rare treat!
Unfortunately the Service didn’t meet the quality of the dishes. We had a table booked and duly arrived on time at seven thirty. Starters finally arrived at quarter to nine. Alot of waiting and we didn’t leave the restaurant till quarter to twelve. Fortunately the company I was in made out for a great night. So if your planning to go for dinner before going on somewhere this is definitely not the place to go.
I would given this place 5 stars for taste sensation but sadly let down and only 3 stars for service. Still, the staff were very friendly so will meet in the middle and give them a 4. Shame.

We’ve walked past this restaurant many times and how we regret that oversight now that we’ve been inside.
We arrived in time for their pre-​theatre menu and that’s what we had. It started with a smoked salmon amuse-​bouche that immediately charmed us.
I had a delectable chicken and rabbit pot with a small salad to start, my partner had the carrot, honey, and cumin soup. Both were gorgeous.
He had the guinea fowl for a main. it was juicy and perfectly cooked, but the Chantenay carrots and potato mash with the, served with a gorgeous sauce stole the show.
I had my usual favourite: the fillet steak –frites (which incurred a slight surcharge, which is fair). The steak was served cooked exactly as I like it, and topped with a lovely seasoned butter. Chips were crisp and lovely and hid a treasure of a tomato and mushroom.
For dessert, we both opted for the anise crème brûlée with shortbread. The first spoonful was an explosion of creamy anise — but by the last bit, that had softened into a light nuance.
My partner opted for coffee and we shared the petits fours that were brought to round out the meal: a truffle, a lemon and almond cake, fudge, and a peanut cookie.
Service was impeccable and it was clear that there are regulars — a charmed group we intend to join. All of the staff were attentive and if any of them spotted something (a glass needing refilling, or a plate needing cleared) they attended to it immediately and without fuss. The teamwork and general sense that they all really enjoy the work they do and the high standards they meet was prevalent.
This was worth every penny and we fully plan on returning soon to discover their a-​la-​carte menu. Highly recommend.

La Valle Blanche, Byres Rd, Glasgow 12.02.11
Valentines weekend and i go for a late lunch in the West End with my friend Nick to a French Restauarant. How Romantic!
As i expected the dark minimalist dining room was packed full of couples sipping champagne whispering sweet nothings to each other. We on the other hand were discussing a building project and the football results the previous weekend, much to the annoyance of the the courting couple at the table next to us.
The lunch/​pre theatre menu offers decent value at £13.95 for two courses and £16.95 for three. With four starters five mains and five deserts to choose from there is enough to satisfy most tastes.
We both opted for the Ham Hough Terrine with Seared Beef, Roast Shallots and Parsley with Gribiche Sauce to start. I chose the Chargrilled Steak Frites with Horseradish, Black Pepper & Parsely Butter (£2.50 supplement) and Nick chose the Corn fed Chicken Breast, Sauteed Potatoes and Leek and Merguez Sausage for mains.
The terrine arrived and looked excellent with a piece of rare beef running through the centre of the pressed ham. Everything on the plate worked really well together with the pickled Gribiche Sauce cutting through the flavour of the ham and beef perfectly.
After a short while the main courses were served by one of the young waiting team and again looked very appetizing. Ok so it is only steak and chips but it was a very good steak and chips, the steak was seasoned and cooked medium rare to perfection with a great added flavour coming from the black pepper and parsley butter.
My friend had no complaints with his dish and polished it off in no time. The young waitress then returned with the desert menus. I ordered an espresso and we both ordered the Iced Banana & Hazelnut Parfait, Vanilla Chantilly & Hazelnut Tuille. The espresso arrived shortly afterwards and was a distant memory when the deserts finally arrived at least fifteen minutes later.
The deserts were the only let down of the day, there was a one cm slice of banana with two chunks of the parfait and the tuille perched in the middle. Whilst the desert was presented well it failed to deliver on taste and i was bored half way through eating it.
The final bill was £51.00 which included a couple of wines and coffee

great food and quite a nice interior. not accessible to wheelchairs since up a steep flight of stairs

I’d heard a number of very positive comments about this place so when it came time to think about birthday meal venues it quickly asserted itself as a front runner.
First thing about Valle Blanche is the surprising size. From the outside, the small awning and staircase might lead you to expect a very small intimate set up, but it’s very spacious with plenty of room for diners. It reminded me more of a Mexican cantina in style.
Our waitress met us with big smiles and was immediately engaging. It’s great to start a night knowing you’re on the same wave length as the staff — you just know things will happen around you with the minimum of stress.
The wine menu was pretty decent and we quickly got the cork out and settled down to study the menu. It all looked fantastic (if a bit on the meaty side) and I opted for a pork main and put all thoughts of Kermit’s better half further from mind with a starter of pig cheeks.
The food was sublime, everything as it should be. Well presented and cooked to perfection. There are times when meals become the main focus of attention, but here the food seemed to create a perfect backdrop to a great night of relaxed conversation and good laughs. It isn’t overly pretentious, just well prepped unassuming quality.
Sadly there was no room for pudding but I think a return is on the cards before too long.
I marked this as a four star effort only because I wasn’t sure about the décor-​sorry a bit picky I know. In every other department this was a five star effort.

My favourite place in Glasgow’s West End for a _​really_​nice meal. The alpine lodge décor and smart, attentive waiters make for a lovely atmosphere. The food in the evening is pricey but borderline amazing, as illustrated by my favourite dish of theirs being a fruit cocktail, believe it or not. At lunch they offer a reasonably priced menu but they keep aside their very best cuisine for the evening. Don’t be surprised to be offered an apéritif with a complimentary canapé. After dinner coffees usually come with a lovely collection of wee sweets, tablet and the like.
Update Feb 2011: Still the most amazing cuisine ever and they now offer their top quality dishes at pre-​theatre prices at lunch time instead of the more average dishes like burgers that they used to offer at lunch time. Though this time service was a bit on the relaxed side for lunch time.

I came in here for a spot of lunch not long ago and was overwhelmed by the excellent service of the waitors.
The ordering and serving of the food was excellent and everything went smoothly. There’s nothing worse than waiting for your food to arrive and then getting the wrong thing but if the waiters are always this good then I can’t see that happening.
I had a steak and it was perfect. Tender, rare and at a reasonable price.
La Vallee Blanche would make a great place for a celebratory meal.

My friends and I decided to push the boat out, and treated ourselves to a hearty lunch at La Vallee Blanche. It was amaaaazing!
The place itself is lovely and cosy — you feel like you’re in a mountainside wooden chalet (it’s ski-​tastic). The food itself is simple but fancy, which, in my books, is a great thing — it’s not pretending to be something it’s not, and it’s tasty (a win-​win situation, no?).
If I’m going to complain about anything, it’s the size of the portions — there’s far too much, and then I feel guilty for not finishing it all. Sad face.

The food here is exceptional. The setting is dark, secluded and stylish — like a very posh ski chalet — and would be great for a romantic liaison! Do wait till you get home though.
Perfectly cooked food. Beware the pricey wine list. The food is just creeping into pricey too but is well worth it.
Lunch menu is very reasonably priced though so if you are concerned about costs why not try it out then?

Within hours of completing my last university exam my family had whisked me off to Glasgow to La Vallee Blanche to enjoy a slap up meal as a bit of a reward. If I’m honest the whole meal still lingers in an elated haze. We ordered bottle after bottle of fizz, all recommend by a very charming sommelier (I think my Dad and Brother fancied her quite a lot). Everything about the night was perfect. We shared a lovely booth in the back corner of the room which felt especially private and unique. The wooden cabin décor might not be to everyone’s tastes but red velvet seats definitely floated my boat.
The menu at La Vallee Blanche is very French and expertly cooked. My brother’s Bouillabaisse was as good as anything you would get in Marseilles and the Château Brian that my Dad and I shared was phenomenal. Using Scottish ingredients for these classic French dishes has clearly served them well.
La Vallee Blanche is somewhere I’d definitely recommend if you’re looking for a real blow out meal. The staff make a real fuss over you and the food is incredible. If you’re still unsure why not visit them for a set lunch (£15 for three courses!) to try them out. I promise you it will be worth it.