Les Refuges des Fondus

I don't typically plan to eat at specific restaurants when I travel to new places but prefer to choose from different options while exploring. However, I had read about Les Refuges des Fondus and seen it featured on a food/travel show, so I was quite keen to give it a try. Plus I've always wanted to go to a fondue restaurant because melted cheese is amazing.

The restauarant itself is quite quirky, with tables so close together that you must step over them to get to your seat, so you sit directly next to other patrons. The walls inside are also covered with the signatures of previous diners. We arrived early so we didn't need to wait, but apparently it can be quite busy at times.

To start, everyone gets a plate of nibbles including olives, pickles and meats plus an aperitif. For the main event, you can choose to have either cheese or meat fondue and red or white wine, served in baby bottles (an effort to avoid some type of alcohol tax). The cheese fondue came with pieces of French bread, though I had hoped for other dippers such as apple slices or veggies.

Although we were stuffed after eating nearly two baskets of baguette pieces dipped into the cheesy goodness, we still ate the set dessert: ile flottante. I'm not usually a fan of meringue, but served with custard and a bit of caramel sauce it was fairly tasty.