Touring around the Normandie region, my friend Olivier from Beirut - who follows my account on Instagram - suggested I visit Le Drakkar. This traditional brasserie, located a few meters from the port of the very calm city of Deauville, seems to be one of few or perhaps the only restaurant with customers having dinner; the place seems famous.
Well known by the locals, the brasserie has the typical bar that welcomes you at the entrance of such places. There are two kinds of draught beers available, seating on each side of the bar, mirrors over leather benches and a low ceiling. No music plays so the sound of people chit-chatting provides the atmosphere while waiters walk around the tables serving orders.
I loved the generous portions, the black leather, the paper table cover and yellow lights... But I can't say the same about the food!
On the menu, you can find a selection of seafood and fish preparations. Oysters, a seafood platter, sole or cabillaud, mussels and meat with some salads and side orders. We order oysters, two kinds of grilled fish, a salad, rillette and several sides. Dinner starts with a basket of old and chewy bread, Isigny butter and the local vinegar and onion sauce which remind me of the juice we add to Mouloukhieh.
Branded plates imprinted with the restaurant's logo, paper covers to protect the table, a table napkin... typical brasserie. It's funny how waiters in brasseries are always in a hurry...
Dinner is served:
- Big sized oysters served on a bed of ice: good quality and fresh. Just add a squeeze of lemon and enjoy the taste of the sea, the saltiness as well as the size of the oysters in every shell.
- Rillette de lisette: mackerel mashed into a cream, two bowls of it, a generous portion served with toasted bread. Squeeze some lemon, spread and enjoy. It's as good as you expect it to be.
- Goat cheese salad with Granny Smith apples: a salad loaded with oil and not looking too appetizing. It's not something I'd order again.
- Tomato salad is pathetic.
- Fries: homemade fries, thick and browned but average taste.
- Potato purée: needs butter and more taste. Tastes like hospital food.
- Green beans: unacceptable! Frozen and then cooked.
- Cabillaud fish: zero flavor!
- Sole meunière: adequately cooked, needs lemon to give it some flavor. Dull!
- Mussels: a big bowl of mussels loaded with watery Camembert sauce. Exactly what you would expect from a brasserie du coin.
Average food for €40/person. It was not worth it. The service was bad and the waiters lacked the right manners and professionalism... I'm not sure it's a place I'd recommend to my friends visiting Deauville. Appearances are deceiving!
