The Girls team Christmas dinner

This Christmas we tried to have another group Christmas meal out instead of going to the official university ball, we managed it last year, a group trip to Browns. This year we fancied something different. 

When having a look at the festive menus' there was a good deal at Brown's again - 2 courses for 18 pounds. There was a deal at Le Mistral, slightly more expensive but definitely a top favourite of mine, 2 courses for £23.50 and then there was Petit Paris at a similar price of 2 courses for £23.95. Obviously all these had a festive element to their menus and all were incredibly tempting. 

Bistrot Pierre was offering 2 courses for £16.50 if you could dine before 1830. Everyone felt this was going to be the yummiest and cheapest option after we'd factored in a few glasses of wine. I secured the booking, it required a £10 deposit per person, probably due to it being the festive period, we pre ordered our food and the dinner was planned and ready. We had however not anticipated that managing to coordinate 22 people who are placed all around Lincolnshire, Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire  was always going to be a little tricky. 

It all came together on the night, everyone made it in time to eat their food and we all had a fantastic time. 

The Christmas decorations around the restaurant were so lovely 

We all got crackers!

The food was delicious

I had a smoked salmon salad to start

And wild mullet with MUSSELS for my main!

This was Lucy's duck pate. 

There were some dauphinoise potatoes knocking around that were absolutely delightful!

The puddings were also incredible, the mixture we had on the table was this Chocolate torte with blackberry ice cream, a sticky toffee pudding (below) and a frangipane tart.

The atmosphere in the restaurant was lovely, really rustic and very warm and inviting, I would definitely like to visit again with not such a massive table and outside of this busy period but it was so nice to get all my closest friends together in one room with fantastic food. 

Thanks Bistrot Pierre!

ps. We nipped to Coco Tang for cocktails afterwards, their xmas decs are pretty snazzy too :)

A French Affaire

Some of my oldest friends from medical school and I had a much needed reunion last week. Our longstanding seminar group leader picked one of his favourites (one of my favourites too) Petit Paris. It was as good as I'd remembered, if not better. 

The decor is quaint, all the waiters we were served by seemed to have just stepped out of France themselves with strong French accents, the East Midlands twang seems to have not affected them thus far! Whilst it has been said to feel a little stuffy and outdated it can't be denied that it has such a feeling of authenticity this could be overlooked. 

One thing to note is the wine list; all fantastic French wines, we sampled both the Sauvignon Blanc and the Pinot Grigio. (the Pinot definitely my favourite and one of the nicest wines I've had In a while) 

They do a fantastic value pre theatre menu with 2 courses for £10.95 and 3 for £13.95! We all tucked in some indulging in the chicken liver parfait to start, D had the bouillabaisse and T the Moules marinière. I didn't manage to take any photos as I was too busy indulging in wine and olives!

For my main course I had a pan fried Hake with Atlantic prawns and a white wine sauce. It was delicious! The fish was so meaty and perfectly cooked

Poached salmon with a red wine sauce and crushed peas

The service was always with a smile with a new glass for each wine we tried and bread for the table!

Lamb shank. Mmmm 

Tagliatelle Jean Louis. 

Then came my favourite bit. The wonderful array of puddings 

My cappuccino parfait 

J's poached pear

Frangipane tarte

And finally some gorgeous coffees to top off a lovely evening. After 5 years of med school we still have so much to talk about and catch up on and fantastically still manage to find some of the nicest food in Nottingham. I can't wait for the next reunion, they just keep getting better!