Film star food

The shady terrace at Buffet de la Gare is where silky-voiced Welsh wastrel Richard Burton used to while away his afternoons before stumbling back to his home, Pays de Galles, on the other side of the rail tracks.

But rather than cashing in on their most famous patron, the owners have gone for railway memorabilia instead with timetables, hats (why are hats associated with rail travel?) and clocks.

After a warm welcome we had a glass of local wine while perusing the classic French bistrot-style menu. I ordered some seasonal spears of asparagus fresh from the local fields while Monsieur Gourmand fancied a fiendish salad with pancetta and egg, piled high on crispy lettuce. Substantial but not enough to quell his hunger for the next course.

Who could resist filets de perche from a menu where they actually name the fisherman who caught them, especially when served with deliciously crispy matchstick chips? Not Monsieur Gourmand, it seems, but I instead opted for a thick chunk of turbot on a bed of red onion.

The final act was a chocolatey bomb of gooey gluttony that was enough to finish us off. The hearty food, friendly service and idyllic location could only be bettered by some boozy banter with Burton himself. Shame we're about 30 years too late.

 

Buffet de la Gare, Route de Founex 25, 1298 Céligny

 +41 (0)22 776 27 70; http://www.buffet-gare-celigny.ch