During the great UK snowstorm, it was hard times to find an open restaurant – including the one in my hotel. Well, they were “open,” but dead and offering a really awful looking buffet of odds and ends. In my snow walk of earlier in the afternoon, I spotted a cute French/North African spot on Victoria Passage called Maison Bleue. It was open for lunch and very thankfully, stayed open for dinner. A handful of tables in this very romantic, candlelit environment was the perfect ambience for a snow storm.

Table for one, far enough from the window to be warm, but still able to monitor the snow’s progress. I enjoyed some fairly priced vino, French bread, and just a simple green salad to start.

For my main, I tried the beef cheeks with mashed potatoes and gravy. Apparently, it has been a mainstay on the menu for 16 years. It was pretty good. Two of the three pieces of beef were wonderful and oddly, one was totally tough.

It was a good meal for a snow storm and I’d certainly visit again, just probably try a few different menu items to try to have my hair blown back. The kind service, wine tastings before the big glass committment, and hearty food made for a wonderful experience.