Bistro Citron Vert - County Durham

Cary and her wonderful team are always so welcoming. They greet you like old friends and are always happy to accommodate any requests we may have for them, including allowing me access through the kitchen with my wheelchair. We have been visiting here for many years now and we have just been discussing how it's a place we can guarantee that we will have a lovely meal in a lovely environment. Thank you for making my mother in law's birthday extra special with yet another wonderful meal. One day I will persuade my husband to bring Woody our dog in too! Thank you once again and we will definitely see you soon!

The restaurant offers a selected menu, with meals cooked to perfection. The atmosphere is cosy and relaxed. Unlike many higher end restaurants, the house wine is delicious and very reasonably priced.

One of the best meals I have ever enjoyed. I was taken as a birthday treat and had read great reviews, but nothing will prepare you for the quality of the food qnd the wonderful menu. We both had a Sunday roast, which was perfectly cooked and was a superb joint of lamb, with a beautiful selection of freshly prepared and cooked veg. I finished with crumble and cream, which was unbelievably good. The waiting staff were young, but very well presented and extremely helpful. It was great to see Cary the owner and chef, who came out to clear our plates and see if everything was OK. Needles to say, the answer was a resounding YES !

We had been looking forward to this birthday treat for a while and we were happy to be seated in a lovely restaurant with a nice atmosphere, friendly attentive young staff and good music. We enjoyed amazing mussels to start. I chose steak in peppercorn sauce to follow because I’d read an amazing review. It was served with gorgeous triple cooked chips and fresh seasonal veg. The steak was cooked as requested and the sauce was lovely, but in spite of this, I struggled to cut through the steak due to gristle around the outer edge and tough connective tissue in the centre. In spite of this, I had no intention of making a complaint, especially as it was my friend’s birthday treat. I enjoyed the rest of the meal but left most of the steak. When the young waitress came to collect my plate, she asked if I’d enjoyed my meal. I said,” Well, it wasn’t great”. I explained why, she apologised and said she would tell the chef. The chef came to my table within minutes, flanked by another member of staff and said they had cut through my steak in the kitchen and it ‘cut like butter’. I was shocked because this implied that my complaint was unjustified. She went on to say that the restaurant had never had any complaints before about the steak, which further fuelled my embarrassment. She offered to adjust the bill, but this was all done in front of other guests. I have never been made to feel so uncomfortable in a restaurant simply because I answered a question about my meal.

We have been a number of times now as a couple and with friends and have never had a complaint. They do have a reasonably small menu, but I have always found something I liked and nothing has ever disappointed. The waitressing staff were helpful and attentive, and the few times we have spoken to the owner she has been lovely and welcoming, almost as if we were enjoying a meal at her home. Thanks again and I look forward to our next meal there!