Cafe Rouge – Solihull

Café Rouge is, in general, a fantastic chain. Most people eschew chains because we don’t want to feel as pigs at the trough when spending our cash on eating out.
It needs to feel intimate enough to carry on a nice conversation, yet have enough ambience and other warm bodies to feel more special than sitting at the dinner table at home.
The Café Rouge chains all manage this well, but I particularly like the one at the Bullring, Birmingham. The music is all French from the 40s and 50s, and some jazz and easy listening from later eras. It stops just sort of twee by being lively and interesting music not commonly heard.
Plus, the yellow, just-​scrubbed, and hastily applied contrived paint on the walls is also brushed onto the speakers. And I am not going to hate on a yellow speaker.
But since this review is about the one in Solihull, it gets three stars.
I go to the Café Rouge in Solihull Town Center every week, on Wednesdays, for some coffee and a light bite before a very long shift at work.
Every time we walk in, we wait to be greeted. There is one waitress there (she seems to be the only English employee) who always has a smile for us. Otherwise, though, the greeting and subsequent service are rather dour.
The manager is always eating her lunch at the tables right near the entrance, so one cannot miss her chowing down on large plates of haute cuisine. A disturbing and tacky touch, to be sure. I would think a discretely tucked away table in the back would be nicer for employee breaks.
When we go (around 3−4pm), it is never busy. There are often some ladies lunching late, and a few elderly couples enjoying a glass of wine. Most of the customers are friendly, and repeat faces say hello.
However, despite the slow outpouring of customers, the service is generally laissez faire, and we end up waiting 5 – 10 minutes after the end of our meal before we can manage to attract someone to bring us the bill. The staff are normally (and I exaggerate not) too busy chatting amongst themselves to serve us quickly.
I understand the mid-​afternoon slump, and that we are coming in only ordering drinks and appetisers, but surely service could be a bit quicker and more attentive if there are only 4 – 6 tables of diners to serve in the whole restaurant?
Other than the service, though, the menu is really sweet. There is nothing too expensive or too adventurous on the Café Rouge menu, but there are some very delectable things. My favourites include the fougasse bread with caramelised onions and gruyère cheese, the classic fish soup, and the bread batons in melted garlic butter.
All the tastes are dependable, and the menu items are classically and authentically French.
The mains that aren’t to be missed are the Duck comfit with orange liquer, which is rich enough to feel decadent, and light enough to not feel piggish.
I love the Croque Monsier and salad for a light lunch.
Also, if you’re a chip fiend, Café Rouge’s chips are very nice — small, like classic French Fries, slightly cripsy, and with a delicious seasoning — not soggy and horrible like chip shop chips.
All in all, despite the service, the food and friendly, truly Café atmosphere keeps us coming back for more.