Hunger Games: Haute fare, but with a Gallic shrug

French cuisine in Linden? You ask.

You'll find A la Bouffe in the heart of the boere ghetto, a short stroll from the Argentinian and the Whippet.

Sit down next to the obligatory prints of the Eiffel Tower in a large dining room with a high ceiling.

The walls feel empty. We were expecting more clutter, some arbitrary red, white and blue objects to make the ambience feel a bit more authentic.

For some reason the radio was on - and it wasn't Edith Piaf trilling Jene regrette rien or any one of a million other folksy Francophone tunes that would have hit the spot.

The look and feel of the place, unfortunately, detracts from the overall experience, but A la Bouffe does the cuisine part well.

Romuald Denelse is a French-born, French-trained chef.

His starters are amazing. Savour those last minutes of sunshine with the calamari and salmon tartare and a sip or two of something crisp and white in your glass. No need to second guess him on the poached egg and asparagus salad.

The mains are very good. When it comes to game, the chef definitely has some. The rabbit was lovely.

Frogs' legs are on the menu, but we opted for the lamb shank, which was better than most.

There are only a few desserts, but they are truly French.

The things that A la Bouffe lacks can be fixed with a bit of money and a little more effort.

• A la Bouffe, 32 Seventh Street, Linden.