IN a compact city like Chester there are many hidden gems to be found.
Some historic, like the Roman dressing room, some new, like the vintage pop-up shop and some which are so obvious we walk by them every day without noticing.
Chez Jules is in no uncertain terms one of those places that has stood the test of time since it opened 14 years ago – a true city gem.
This quaint two-floored French bistro has never changed its ethos when it comes to cooking or presentation – genuine, authentic and rustic – which has lured diners back again and again.
Down to its red and white check tablecloths, freshly baked French batons that come with every meal, romantically candle-lit dining rooms with Bordeaux red wine bottles dripping with candle wax, down to the daily printed menus on one side of A4 – this really is the quintessential place to eat French food in Chester.
If you are expecting to see French onion soup and coq au vin on the menu every day then think again.
This is classic French cooking at its best, not at its most clichéd.
My companion chose the Tartifette – a dish of potatoes, smoked bacon, shallots and reblochon cheese.
This wholesome classic winter starter had all the right components – not too salty, not too creamy – but baked to give a rich flavour and crunch. Mouth wateringly good food.
For me a simple starter of crevettes tossed in a light herb butter opened my palette to a warm taste of the sea and the meaty flesh had me salivating for the next course.
Living very close to fishmongers I had long been intrigued at how to cook skate – a heavily boned fish, not often seen on the menus at many restaurants.
Pan fried in black butter the skate had a meaty texture, but throughout the course not once was it dry – much like meat cooked on the bone, this had a fabulous melt-in-your-mouth feel to it. Absolutely divine.
My companion’s rib eye steak was a sight to behold – it nearly filled the whole plate and was medium rare with the right amount of pink through the centre to have her ‘oohing’ and ‘ahhing’ all the way through the meal.
Like with almost all the main courses at Chez Jules, the food comes with a hotplate of fresh seasonal vegetables and either dauphinoise potatoes or new potatoes, and they are pretty famous among those who regularly eat at this Northgate Street destination.
Packed full of flavour and goodness, the broccoli, red cabbage and carrots were served with the right amount of bite and the dauphinoise transported my taste buds back to a small bistro on Rue Saint Georges, in Paris.
A French meal would not be complete without a cheese board and a taste of indulgence with one of their chocolate pots, which were both, needless to say, devoured with equal affection as the previous two courses.
The true essence of a good restaurant doesn’t just come from its food, but all the components in between – the atmosphere, the staff and the setting.
Luckily, Chester is home to Chez Jules, a rustic French bistro that has amazing food, fantastic service and a buzzing environment to boot.