Mountain Cafe Review

Calling this place a café is a bit like calling Les Arcs a place that you can ski. Yes, you can pop in for a quick pick me up cup of caffeine at lunchtime or a hot chocolate after you’ve hit the slopes but it is also much more than this. The restaurant is quite traditionally decorated with lots of exposed wood but with some funky touches to make it feel much warmer and more homely than a lot of the local ‘Savoyard’ style eateries. It is located in the Charvet village of Les Arcs 1800 and is close to the slopes so you could come at lunchtime or for dinner after enjoying some après ski.

As you enter, the bar is stretched out along one side of the restaurant and invariably has locals and holidaymakers enjoying an après ski beer into the early evening. There is a good selection of uplifting tunes that are loud enough to create an energetic atmosphere but not so loud that it disrupts the conversation if you are eating at one of the tables. Having said that, if you are looking for a quiet, romantic option then this place may have a bit too much hustle and bustle.

The lighting is pretty lively around the bar area and the table area is enveloped in hues of blues and purples and reds which keep the atmosphere cosy but bright enough to see what you’re eating. There is also some large, flat screen TV’s around the walls which show a selection of extreme sports videos and provide excellent motivation for the next day’s riding…..after a good feed and some cheeky genepi shots everyone agreed to ‘try’ at least one triple cork the next day….if only aspirations could be so easily achieved!

So onto the food! The menu is delivered to the table on a large chalkboard and there is a selection of tapas style starters including onion rings, tacos with salsa / salad and melted cheese sticks. If you have little ones with you there is also a ‘menu enfant’ which offers a small hamburger or chicken nuggets served with chips and ice cream to finish, all for 9 euros.

For mains the restaurant has a good selection of meat dishes including Fajitas, Ribs, Chicken Wings, Grilled Prawns and also a traditional ‘Tartiflette’ dish. If you’ve not had a tartiflette before it consists of lashings of potatoes, lardons, onions and garlic all combined with melted reblochon cheese and white wine. It’s not for the faint hearted and to be honest there are more traditional versions of this dish available elsewhere, however most people keep coming back to the Mountain Café for a very specific reason…..the Burgers!

Chicken, Beef and Veggie options are available and they come with great garnish and a large side-pot of fries. What makes these burgers so good is that you can tailor the size of them to suit your appetite. I am not a light eater and with my girlfriend we shared onion rings to start, a single chicken burger and a single beefburger for mains and it was plenty. However, if you are feeling really hungry then why not try upping the ante and going for a double! And if you want to push the boat right out then you can even ‘triple’ your burger for maximum calorie intake. The burgers are home-made and cooked to your liking and really are very tasty indeed!

There were seven of us dining the evening that we went and Oliver the owner was most helpful. We booked a table as it can be very hard to get a seat if you just rock up. There is a simple yet decent wine list, with all the normal beers that you would expect in a French bar, including bottles of Desperado crisp and cold out of the fridge. Most of us went for the burgers with one person opting for the fajitas. Again, these come in Beef, Chicken or Veggie options and are a really decent sized portion. We shared a 2012 Bourgogne wine between all of us, beers and a round of shots at the end of the meal with our coffees. The bill worked out at 30 euros per person and this included a 20 euro tip for the service which was fast, efficient and helpful.

I would definitely recommend this spot for having a decent sized yet not overly expensive meal out. It is great for groups or couples and also very family friendly. The service is good and all the staff speak English so don’t worry about your Franglais!

It is not a gastronomic adventure but they are offering something a little bit different to the traditional Savoyard fare and in a fun and inviting environment. Just don’t forget to book, especially if there is more than 2 of you!

Mountain Café