Cafe du Centre - Le Blanc-Mesnil

I have a second home in the Le Blanc area and have frequently had a coffee or a plat du jour on market days (Weds and Saturdays) at the cafe du centre over the last 7-8 years. I am writing because on the last visit you could see a real step improvement in quality of food, and the general environment. They have turned the back addition into more of a restaurant space and it has quite a nice relaxed ambience. I had a sirloin steak at 14.50 euros which was sourced a few kilometres away and was cooked simply and with little fuss and was perfect. They have a great choice of beers and the staff offer a helpful and friendly service. I am giving it 5 stars because of the value for money but also our French is still not great and I thought the staff were very helpful and attentive in that regard.

We visited this cafe for lunch on a Monday just after midday. We sat outside and were quickly approached as customers outside often just want drinks. Menus were brought and there were a good range of salads, hot dishes, steaks etc. My wife had the Salad de la Brenne which was lettuce, tomato with small goats cheese pieces, it was topped with cubed fried potatoes and smoked carp slices, very tasty. My son had a burger which was delicious although the chips I think were re-fried from the night before and rather limp. I had a tartine, spread with Pesto, lots of chicken pieces and covered with cheese and then grilled, my chips were fresh but not crisp. I think we were the first to have chips and the fryer wasn 't up to temperature. On the positive side the portions were generous. This cafe always used to do a midday 'carte de jour ' meal but I think that as it was Monday it was not available, it certainly wasn 't offered. We did not have dessert as the only ice cream they could offer was a Magnum. Three Ruby Leffe and one main course each came to €38.

I have a second home in the Le Blanc area and have frequently had a coffee or a plat du jour on market days (Weds and Saturdays) at the cafe du centre over the last 7-8 years. I am writing because on the last visit you could see a real step improvement in quality of food, and the general environment. They have turned the back addition into more of a restaurant space and it has quite a nice relaxed ambience. I had a sirloin steak at 14.50 euros which was sourced a few kilometres away and was cooked simply and with little fuss and was perfect. They have a great choice of beers and the staff offer a helpful and friendly service. I am giving it 5 stars because of the value for money but also our French is still not great and I thought the staff were very helpful and attentive in that regard.

We visited this cafe for lunch on a Monday just after midday. We sat outside and were quickly approached as customers outside often just want drinks. Menus were brought and there were a good range of salads, hot dishes, steaks etc. My wife had the Salad de la Brenne which was lettuce, tomato with small goats cheese pieces, it was topped with cubed fried potatoes and smoked carp slices, very tasty. My son had a burger which was delicious although the chips I think were re-fried from the night before and rather limp. I had a tartine, spread with Pesto, lots of chicken pieces and covered with cheese and then grilled, my chips were fresh but not crisp. I think we were the first to have chips and the fryer wasn't up to temperature. On the positive side the portions were generous. This cafe always used to do a midday 'carte de jour' meal but I think that as it was Monday it was not available, it certainly wasn't offered. We did not have dessert as the only ice cream they could offer was a Magnum. Three Ruby Leffe and one main course each came to €38.

A lovely Parisian cafe to sit and enjoy a cheese and charcuterie board while you people watch.