Lunch at La Menthe, Lyon France

During one of our days in Lyon, we spent a few hours just wandering around, window shopping, and of course trying to decide where to eat lunch.  We noticed a long line outside one spot, and drew closer to see what it was.  Domino’s Pizza!  Pass.

Just at the end of the block, though, we spotted a cute little restaurant called La Menthe, which looked kitschy and casual, so we popped in.

It’s warm and homey inside, with cushion covered benches along the wall, faded striped tablecloths, and ski-themed photos all over the walls.

As usual, there are set menu options for lunch; we decided on the two course option with a starter (entrée in France) and a main dish.

I started with the soufflé au fromage, which turned out to be a piece of a low-rise soufflé served alongside a simple pile of lettuce leaves and some sliced tomato.  (The lettuce in France really is lovely.)  It was tasty and filling, and I probably should have stopped there, but I also had some beef carpaccio, which was just ok.

D had a similar entrée, a version of the soufflé with leeks and herbs, and was similarly too full to eat much of his main course, a hearty serving of kefta with mashed potatoes and vegetables.  I sampled some – it was quite tasty, with lots of interesting spices and flavorings.

I think this was the most local place we went to the whole trip – off the beaten path, just a real neighborhood spot.  The food wasn’t extraordinary, just simple and well-done, and about as far from Domino’s as you can get!