TACK
The 'Open House' is a restaurant situated in the heart of a small village between three national forests and close to the horse ́s capital city, Chantilly. It is the favourite hangout place for people from the polo, horse races, and golf world.

As you enter the place you are welcomed by a magnificent setting, a delightful marriage of antique cut stones and the luxuries of modernity. Sitting in any table you have a wonderful view of the workshop-like kitchen where you can see the chefs working. For those who do not book a table and are waiting, there is a cosy lounge with aged leather armchairs and pictures of polo players displayed on the walls.

The menu offers a wide variety of mouth-watering starters. I had the white asparagus accompanied by a mousseline sauce and poached eggs, while my friend tried the zucchini carpaccio served with sundries tomatoes and a mozzarella strudel. They were exquisite. The main course consisted in a risotto with scallop cooked in cream and a cassolette of coley with mussels, which really thrilled us. It all was followed by a delicious apple pie served with a scoop of vanilla ice cream for dessert.

All the products were fresh and the dishes had the warmth of home-made food. The chefs takes great care in selecting the best quality ingredients. The restaurant also caters for all tastes by providing a large selection of the best wines of the region, which are pricy but worth sampling.

What a pity that the service does not accompany the high quality of the cooking. You can hardly get a smile out of the waitresses. Thankfully the owner and hostess, a middle-aged charming woman, is always around willing to exchange some kind words with all her clients.
Despite the high price of the food and the not so attentive waiters ́ service, I had a pleasant dining experience with food of the most exquisite flavours. For this reason I highly recommend going to the Open House restaurant.