Le Balmoral

Le Balmoral is to be found a short stroll from Terraux, but has a homely atmosphere not often found in this area of the 1st arrondissement.

The exterior is quite ostentatious, with an incongruous but fantastic neon sign proclaiming 'Pizzas au feu du bois'.

Inside is all burgundy and low lighting, with closely packed circular tables along the sides, and a long mead-hall-style table down the centre. The room is dominated by a huge glowing wood-fired oven behind the bar. Two young pizzeristas alternately deposited and retrieved pizzas with aplomb.

It was a Saturday night and we had no reservation, but were seated immediately on the mead-hall table. We soon discovered that it wasn't one table, but many pushed together when the waiter lost Marie's couverts with a clang through a gap in the paper tablecloths covering the spaces between them.

The pizzas were around €10, were pretty big, and came amazingly quickly. The oven must have been even hotter than it looked. We also had a pot of Côtes du Rhône which I think was about €8. Cheap for Lyon, and not bad.

The pizza was great: good crispy base, fresh-tasting topping and not smothered in cheese. The service could have been better: the waiter didn't really seem to know what he was doing and we were unable to attract his attention to pay the bill, so had to pay at the counter.

The other clients were mainly older family groups.

On the whole, I heartily recommend this resto and will be going back soon.

Decor: 4/5
Service: 2.5/5
Prices: 4/5
Toilets: Don't know

Le Balmoral, 14 Rue Lanterne, 69001 Lyon (Google map)