Chez Lahlou’s

After visiting this wonderful restaurant for many years i have now accepted that there are some things that will never change.
My first experience of this charming restaurant was with work colleagues from the nhs, it is completely different from when you dine there as a couple yet the room one is afforded is not great.
The choice of menu is considerable and full of variety but once you have been overfaced with the complimentary starters of baguettes covered with lashings of melted cheese not to mention the delicious spicy wings and the salad dips one is already feeling rather full.
The wine list is quite expensive at 3 pounds plus a glass but nice, i will bring a bottle next time which i hadn’t realised until reading a previous comment, there is an excellent wine shop just accross commonside which should save you a few quid.
The meal itself well i have had steak diane and salmon fillet both were equally delicious, but i agree with a previous comment quality is far more important than quantity.
The last time i visited was with my swiss sister who also had salmon and was very impressed with the culinary delights.
One small criticism is that i had to ask 3 times for a glass of wine and some water as the waitress seemed rushed off her feet, the food was prompt but the toilet doors need fixing as there is no lock on it and the place when full can become claustraphobic to someone like myself if spending any great length of time there.
The owner is charming, kind personal friendly and attentative.
She always seems to chat to her regular guests for any amount of time and they act like they are royalty at times which can annoy a new customer.
I can understand people maybe not returning for the cramped surroundings but for value for money it is unbeatable.

I’d heard good things about Chez Lahlou before I went there, but I ended up hugely disappointed.
First of all the place is just too damned crowded — small restaurants are great, but milking the maximum out of them by squeezing tables up alongside one, not leaving enough elbow room to swing a steak-​knife, is not so great. Even the entrance was tiny — a person-​sized space between two doors which doesn’t leave room for the two doors to open, making entering the restaurant a complex operation.
Once we managed to get it and seated, We were promptly given two menus, but not offered aperetifs. Unfortunately the menus did not come with a wine list, this only turned up about 10 minutes later after we’d ordered. The wine itself arrived a lifetime or two later, after we’d finished our starters. Even then, the waitress opened it and left it standing on the counter for about 10 minutes before bringing it to our table and pouring our glasses.
The bread served before the meail was supermarket-​bought faux-​baguette. The starters, when they finally arrived, were not too bad, although my wife’s fish was terribly overcooked: dry and chewy. They were huge though: easily enough for a main course. I suppose to some people this is a good thing, but personally I like to be served just enough food, I hate waste and I also hate rolling out of a restaurant feeling absolutely bloated.
My main course, lemon sole with bearnaise sauce, was probably the best part of the meal, although still not great — the fish was encased in batter and the sauce had a rather ageing glazed look, but the fish inside was at least cooked right. My wife had duck — when the waitress
asked how she wanted it she said just a little bit bloody, to which the waitress enquired medium? — of course, when it arrived it was overcooked: there were tiny flecks of pink in the centre, but most of it was brown and dry. Again the courses were huge — each dish would have served the two of use — and as if the food on our plates wasn’t enough, the waitress turned up again as we were halfway through our main course, bearing a huge bowl of vegetables: new potatoes, roast potatoes, cauliflower cheese, red cabbage, green cabbage, courgettes, carrots, and probably a couple of others I’ve forgotten.
I’m tempted to write Chez Lahlou off entirely, but there were a few redeeming qualities. Although the food was pretty terrible, it wasn’t the worst I’ve had, and it’s cheaper than most French restaurants (you get what you pay for!) and, of course, the portions are monumental. The staff, despite their treacle-​slow dizziness, are as friendly as hell. But I won’t be going back.
Chez Lahlou is testament to the fact that, in Sheffield, many people prefer quantity to quality. Me, I’d rather eat good food.

Chez Lahlou’s is a French restaurant situated a little out of town at Commonside. It’s very small inside, and you’ll probably be knocking elbows with the people on the table next to you — but they’ve somehow managed to squeeze two rooms in there, so if they have a large party of people in then they’ll usually seat couples and foursomes in the other room, so you’re not subjected to a shrieking office party, for example.
I’d advise not eating for a day or so before visiting, because portions here are very generous. You get served with bread and chicken wings before you’ve even started, but don’t skip the starters as they’re often the best part of the meal — we really enjoyed the garlic mushrooms and the mussels. Mains generally centre around meat or fish and are simple and delicious. You get a huge plate of veg and potatoes with the mains, but if you don’t finish them all, you can take them home in a doggy bag for bubble and squeak the next day.
There is a wine list, but you can also bring your own. Service is excellent. It may be a little more expensive than other restaurants locally, but it’s worth it for a special treat.