Fine French dining - it almost epitomizes the restaurant experience. When you think of fancy restaurants, it's what usually springs to mind. Merlot doesn't disappoint in this respect.
It's a trim menu of very traditional French food as Merlot clearly subscribes to the edict - do a small list of food really, really well. Plus they also offer some fresh seafood as daily specials.
Even with the short menu, there's something for most. So if you'd like to enjoy the ambiance (walls lined with French art gallery posters) but eat a steak - they can accommodate you.
I had the trio of sausages, which were a little over-cooked for my liking, but still tasted good. The rest of my party was a mixture of surf and turf and all seemed at least pleased with their meal.
As someone else commented the wine list is a little short - but the wine we did choose was delicious so I'm wondering if the limited wines they do carry were expertly chosen as the best.
I'd recommend this restaurant to anyone looking to experiment with traditional French cuisine and get your feet wet. The prices are reasonable and the service was good even on a busy night.