Vincent B.
Yelp
This was my first time dining at La Goulue after weeks of anticipation. I've heard from friends that this quaint french restaurant on the corner of Royal Palm Way and County Road was a must try. So try it I did. I went with my girlfriend who has been to La Goulue multiple times and has highly recommended it.
First thing to note is that parking is not easy. We were fortunate to find street parking right outfront, but they do have valet if needed. I do not know if it is complimentary. Though we did not need valet, the valet guys were kind enough to open the door for us on our way in. A very nice touch.
Upon entering, we were greeted with a very friendly staff who wanted us to feel welcomed. We were seated near the kitchen, which was not ideal since the restaurant was probably at 20% capacity at that moment (6:00pm reservation on a Friday).
The interior design was perfect for a rainy day. It was very cozy, but fancy. The dark wood and reds complimented nicely with the open windows and stained glass skylight.
One of the other parties in the dining room had a service animal and the hostess apologized to us for its parking, insinuating we were annoyed by it. My girlfriend and I love dogs, especially service animals so we found it distasteful to apologize for. However, I guarantee that it is something your average Palm Beach resident would get annoyed at, so I understand the reason for her comment. Knowing that, she dealt with it in the best way possible.
Soon after being seated, our waitress introduced herself to our table. She was very professional, knowledgeable, and kind. Could not ask for a better waitress. We were intrigued with the cheeseboard, so we asked her about it. She knew it through and through, including the rotating chef's selection cheeses. After we received the board, the courier walked us through everything on the board. A very nice touch.
We both decided to go with the filet, since a $48 chicken breast meal seemed to be quite ridiculous. A $60 filet seemed more familiar. After they arrived, I immediately noticed the Tenderloin was very tall. This means one thing: it is definitely undercooked. After making may way through the filet, I came to notice that a good portion was cool and purple; it was rare. I ordered medium. My girlfriend's filet was slightly less cooked than mine, resulting in probably $5-$10 worth of the filet being uneaten.
However, the fries, truffle fries, and salad were excellent. I was pleasantly surprised with the dressing of the salad. It was a great italian house dressing. The fries were also very crispy with a soft inside, my favorite.
We ended up taking a box home and did not opt for dessert.
When we left, every staff member made sure to wish us a good night. The kindness of La Goulue's staff is top notch. Again, the valet guys showcased their professionalism with impeccable memory: they even remembered what car my date would drive to La Goulue, even though she was last there over a year ago. They will remember you!
This is a great place for a date night, taking the parents or grandparents out to dinner, or for any special occasion. This is not a place I would come to casually since it is quite expensive. You are certainly paying for the service more than anything else. But the service is worth it!
I would definitely recommend La Goulue and would come here again, though it probably won't be for some time.