The fashion for bizarre and elderly objects in pubs seems to be waning. You know the sort of thing: sheep-dip cans from the 1940s, indigestion tablets from the Boer War, carbide lamps and what have you, writes Tom Dorley.
The comedian Colin Murphy had a routine at one stage that mercilessly lampooned this interior design trend, noting that the objective seemed to be to make us feel at home and rooted in our collective past. He suggested that it was unlikely that your ma used to ask you to go down the pub and get an old typewriter. And if you asked where your bike was, she would hardly answer "nailed to the ceiling where you left it".
I mention this because L'Atmosphere has an old gas meter, the sort my granny used to have, standing guard high above the diners. The decor may be a bit strange - a couple of fireplaces 20 feet off the floor make an attractively surreal feature - but the real blast from the past is in the early-bird menu, or at least in the price of it. Twenty euro doesn't buy very much these days but at this confidently simple French bistro it will get you three courses and a glass of wine, if you eat between 5pm and 7pm.
That, in itself, is worthy of notice but I have to report that the grub is very good indeed. There is no high-altitude plating up, no silly frills, no tablecloths and no heavy cutlery. Instead, you get decent, down-to-earth French food, a very short and serviceable wine list and good value for money.
There were four of us, two parents and two children, and we had three early birds, one a la carte meal and a bottle of quite exceptional Chilean red wine (at €26). The bill for a very large amount of extremely decent food came to €125, roughly what you would pay for two people in far too many Irish restaurants. I reckon that makes it half the going rate.
True, the Caesar salad (not a staple of the French kitchen) was not the true classic and slices of chicken breast didn't do a lot for it, but it wasn't bad. But a beef vinaigrette was glorious. This is slow-cooked beef, shredded with a fork and tossed in a rich, mustardy, peppery dressing, pressed into a timbale and served with hot toast and a cool salad. The a la carte diner had a little slice of chunky duck foie gras terrine served with a dollop of very dark and intense onion marmalade.
It's true, again, that the cod, served with artichokes and mangetout, didn't taste as if it had leapt on to the plate from the boat but it was perfectly cooked, just flaking nicely. The a la carter felt that it was absolutely no hardship to eat.
Grilled chicken breast with roasted new potatoes, slices of carrot and parsnip was served with a proper gravy, not the sort of stuff that too many restaurants buy in gallon drums and re-heat. A bavette of beef turned out to be two thin but juicy slices of rare meat, scored in cross-hatch pattern for tenderness and, again, served in a proper gravy with vegetables, including some delicious caramelised onions. Extra roast potatoes, with a lovely pungent garlic flavour, were plonked in the middle of the table.
Desserts were remarkable at the price. Little hot chocolate puddings, liquid in the centre, had been cooked in bun cases. They may have looked small but they had terrific richness, just the right amount after a hearty meal. A glorious tarte aux pommes was based on buttery, flaky pastry and good sharp fruit. Pear creme brulee was rich and deep.
On a Monday evening the place was almost empty, which suggests that either there aren't enough people in Waterford city or they don't know a good thing when they see it. I just hope the early bird price survives. Oh, I should add that we had the children's glasses of wine as they preferred orange juice. And that the excellent bread comes from owner chef/prop Arnaud Mary's La Boulangerie.
L'Atmosphere, John Street, Waterford, 051-858426
Wine choice
Generally I don't like lists from just one supplier, but when it's concise and comes from Le Caveau in Kilkenny, I'm delighted. Best value is our Pérez Cruz Cabernet Sauvignon (€26), a glorious wine with that tarry intensity that I associate with some much more expensive reds from Chile. Olivier Leflaive Chablis 2004 (€34) is a very classic while Alain Brumont's Gros Manseng-Sauvignon 2005 (€24) is zesty, dry, off-beat. Meyer-Fonne Pinot Blanc Vieilles Vignes 2004 (€34) from Alsace has a delicious sweetish intensity. Bourgogne Pinot Noir Regnaudot 2004 (€36) is the real deal, crisp and firm. Taja Monastrell (€24) is a decent, chunky Spanish red.