I have been going to La Poule au Pot on and off (probably annually on average) for years and it's like many frustrating things in life – you anticipate it with relish only to be let down by the reality. Presumably the gaps between my visits are as long as it takes me to forget the bad and hang on to the delusion of proper French charm and quality.

The good bits tend to be the starters and desserts. Deserving special mention, the quiche a l'oignon, the tarte tatin and the creme brulee are all bistro staples beautifully and simply executed.

But the main courses are another matter. The steak frites, should be another classic and the essential meaure by which a bistro is judged, but here for two of the party the beef was tough and over-cooked and the frites were chunky chips. I had pheasant which was also very tough, and almost impossible to cut. Really poor.

The other main downside is the service… it can take ages to be noticed or served (and there were five of us on the most recent visit – so we were quite visible). There is nothing ‘charmingly aloof about the waiters’ – they were perfectly friendly, but inattentive.