Les Rendez-Vous

[RockADS21]

Having dinner at Le Rendez-Vous in Kennilworth next week. I know it has been mentioned a few times here in the recent past and with rather favorable comments. First time visit for myself and my wife...any suggestions or thoughts...looking very forward...thanks

[Lreda]

Anthony, I look forward to your report of this place. I heard to was little small and I really hate sitting where tables are close together. When you're tall like me it's uncomfortable.

Enjoy, Lou

[Rosie]

"When you're tall like me it's uncomfortable." YEAH!!! I have the same problem.

We have been talking about going back to Le Rendezvous as we always enjoyed this restaurant. However, the last time we were there the owner/chef was away and the meal was disappointing. I'd just make sure that he is cooking the evening you dine there.

[scarlet knight]

My wife and I like this restaurant quite a bit. Bring a French Bordeaux or Burgundy for a great pairing with the food. It is small and crowded; it's better to go early or late. Report back with your review!

[Rosie]

We dined at Le Rendez-vous, 520 Boulevard, Kenilworth and the service was horrendous. We were asked our name when we entered the restaurant rather than being greeted and no one cared that we left. We had to ask for water four times and listen to a whining waiter tell us how busy he was. Our wine was poured once and then we took over the job. Bread was an embarrassment as a few room temperature pieces were plopped on the table in an ugly straw basket. We had to ask for butter and were then offered olive oil. The squares of herbed bread and Italian bread were not worth eating. The tables were uncomfortably close, the chairs hard and the noise level painful.

We started with a mushroom soup that was delightfully full of flavor from mushrooms rather than cream or filler. Served piping hot Lowell liked it but it wasn't the best rendition of this soup that he has ever had. I had an excellent tuna tartare beautifully shaped in a triangle and served with seaweed. Lowell felt the same way about his entrée as he did his appetizer. The rabbit a la Provencale with black pepper tagliatelle was too salty from the olives and we both agreed that we have had better other places. My seared scallops were first-rate and beautifully paired with a fava bean puree that had an interesting hint of cumin. A lobster jus completed the dish.

We were so unhappy with the service that we couldn't wait to get out of this restaurant so we didn't order dessert or coffee. Truffle lovers take note. There is a truffle tasting menu for $55. 908-931-0888. BYO

[scarlet knight]

It sounds like you enjoyed the food, but the service was bad. I think that this is one of the many restaurants we enjoy on a quiet weekday, but is a madhouse on a Friday or Saturday. Were you there on the weekend? Do you think it would have been more enjoyable on a quieter day?

[RockADS21]

What a difference a day(or night) can make. We had dinner at Le Rendez-Vous on Friday evening and had a memorable time and excellent meal. The service from the time we arrived was very good as we brought a bottle of champagne which our server immediately put on ice and was sure to refill our glasses whenever they were close to empty. Bread accompanied by a plate of poured olive oil also was quickly brought to the table. I too had the tuna tartare which was one of the best variations of the dish that I have ever had - completely perfect in both presentation and preparartion - melt in your mouth pieces of fresh tuna served over ice cold seaweed salad - the highlight of my entire meal. The mushroom soup was very flavorful but more brothy than bold. For our entrees my wife had the duck which was tender and topped with a delictable reduction. I had the filet of rouget - a light snapper type offering grilled and served with a wonderful crabmeat risoto which completed the dish perfectly as it added some punch to the rather light fish. For desert we shared the warm chocolate cake - very good. Dinner with tax and tip came to $105. One further note on the service - although ours was very good it seems that they could use more trailers to assist the waiters as even though the place is tiny the waiters wear all the hats in both serving as well as preparing and cearing the tables.

[Rosie]

We were there on a Sat. night.

[rozrapp]

When it was fairly new, we used to have dinner at Le Rendez-vous regularly -- always mid-week – but we hadn't been there for quite some time until a couple of months ago. We rarely eat out on Saturday evenings; however, circumstances did find us there on what was a Saturday. Between our earlier visits and now, the restaurant has become much more well-known and popular, so I was, of course, curious to see how the food compared to our many earlier visits, and what dining there on a busy Saturday would be like.

Rosie’s complaint about the service really surprised me since it had always been excellent, and that was still the case on our Saturday visit. While our reservation was for 5:30 p.m., and we were the first diners to arrive, the place quickly filled up, and all tables were occupied by a little after 6. Until we left at around 7:45, the service never lagged.

As to the noise, while I was concerned that this would be a problem, the only time I was bothered related to a party of six. The first couple arrived and was seated, and when the other two couples arrived at the table, their greetings were way too loud. However, I think they realized the error of their ways because they immediately piped down. The rest of the time, I did not find the level of noise at all bothersome. Perhaps, on the Saturday evening of Rosie’s visit, the place was populated by particularly loud talkers?

Yes, the tables are a bit close, and the chairs could be more comfortable. (If you want to experience what I would consider the true definition of "close" tables, have dinner in NYC at Les Halles where you’re squished more than a canned sardine!)

But, above it all, there is the food. During all our earlier visits, it had always been quite wonderful. So we were ecstatic to find that the food on that Saturday was superb in every respect, even up several notches from what we remembered.

While our Saturday experience was fine in all respects, it was only one time, so I can’t say if Rosie’s experience was an aberration.

[Oceangroveguy]

I was there on Thursday, March 6. We had a 7pm reservation. All but 2 tables we occupied. We were greeted warmly (by a server we hadn't seen in previous visits) and seated immediately.

My wife had the crusted goat cheese and arugula salad and the rack of lamb. I had escargot and a loin of beef special.

Everything was impeccably fresh and delicious, and the service was fine.

[viejo majadero]

Le Rendez-vous was on my list of favorite restaurants, but I am inclined to take it off. Just had dinner there last Saturday. There is something amiss. Over the last few visits my wife and I have noticed a decline.

As Rosie noted, bread was lacking. The herbed bread was doughy, like it has not been put through a double rising. They serve olive oil which is not a problem but they serve about a third a third of a shot glass full in one tiny (dish). The first person who poured out the oil left none for the rest of the table. Never got a refill without asking all evening long.

I started with foie gras. There was plenty of liver on the plate but overall the entire dish was so cloyingly sweet the seared liver got lost. My rack of lamb was just ok but boring. My wife's dish was a pork tenderloin special that was in a mango sauce. That too had no depth of flavor.

There were four people attending to this little room and service was wanting.

The something I cannot put my finger on is management. This is my second visit in which the proprietors Sami & Beatrice were not there. The gentleman running the place is the chef, but he is not cooking he is seating people. For $100.00 plus for dinner for two with no wine I expect a heck of a lot more than I got in food quality and four people serving about 10 tables should provide the best of service.

[scarlet knight]

we ate at le rendez-vous on Sat. 10/11/03, my wife's birthday. We did not tell the staff about her birthday...she hates that happy birthday singing of the staff.. I feel the same way. There was a loud , very operatic rendition of "Happy Birthday" in French for another table, so if you like this tradition, ask for it here. We find it sort of juvenile and self-absorbed, curmudgeons that we are.

Back to the meal.. the appetizers were a "10." My wife had foie gras with polenta and black mission figs. I had lump crab meat (huge pieces) over watercress and avocado salsa. Both were great.

For the entrees, I had a beef tenderloin, which was a filet mignon. I ordered it medium, but it arrived medium well. I didn't send it back because it ruins the timing of the meal, I don't want the meat to be wasted and I am fearful of the vengeful expectorations of the staff (not at le rendez-vous, just in general). However, the accompanying chanterelle mushrooms and basil mashed potatoes were great. My wife's rouget was a little fishy tasting. It was better if one didn't eat the skin, but still a day overdue for fish.

The dessert was called a banana financier, but it was not too great. The bananas were not sweet; they were more like plaintains. The service was very good on a crowded Saturday night. Despite the so-so entrees and dessert, we had an enjoyable evening in a trendy bistro atmosphere with knockout appetizers. We would return, but I could see how others would not.