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Languedoc tourism

Photo by kind permission of Jeremy Taylor

Restaurant reviews : Stu Dudley

Restaurants  Authorized for the Languedoc page 2/3/05  Stu Dudley

 

My wife and our friends consider me to be a gourmet chef.  Many say that they would rather eat at our house, than dine at restaurants in San Francisco.  Fine dinners are very important to us.  When I consider an area to visit in France, one of the first things I do is to get out the Michelin guide and make sure there are plenty of restaurants in the area.  Upon arrival at a Gite, the first day is usually spent scurrying about and checking out the menus at the various restaurants that are close by.  We usually eliminate about 20% of the restaurants that are on my list because the menu isn’t interesting enough.  I like to eat at places where I will be served something new, creative, or places with a multi course fixed price selection.  Six to eight courses (small courses) are what I look for.  My wife can’t go for more than about four courses.  Like I have said before, we dine at about 30 to 40 restaurants in France each year.  We can’t afford to do that if we eat at expensive places.  If there is one thing that I’ve discovered in my 25 years of traveling in France, it’s that you don’t have to pay big bucks to get good meals.  Areas that get a lot of American tourists tend to be more expensive and have perhaps less interesting menu selections (Cote d’Azur & Provence, for example).  You’ll find better quality per dollar in the out-of-the-way sections of France where there are a higher percentage of French diners.  Many of the places we like are restaurants run by a “mom & pop” and the hotel/restaurant has been in the family for several generations.

Here are restaurant descriptions, copied from my wife’s diary.  I will give each restaurant a food rating – from 1 to 10 (10 the highest).  We dined at many more restaurants than those listed below, but we feel that the following were the best of the crop.  My wife speaks French and we have been dining in France for soooo many years, that we know the French name for a fish (for example), but we don’t know what the equivalent is in English.  Therefore, many of the descriptions are in French (i.e. saumon instead of salmon).

The best French/English menu translator that I have found, is in the back of the two France books by Patricia Wells.

Montpellier

Petit Jardin – rating 4 (9/04)

Finally off the plane & in a change of clothes, in a warm & quiet (!!love it!!) garden spot.  Our memories are a little fuzzy on details, but we really enjoyed dinner.  I started with a salad with tomatoes & olives, followed by daurade & a red berry “soup” for dessert.  Stu started with saumon marinee topped with greens & a “tented” (sliced & then spread out like an umbrella) asparagus spear.  He then had pork tenderloin & a crème brulee for desert.  All accompanied by a Faugeres rose. 

Ganges area

Les Mouscardins in St Martin de Londres – rating 8  (6/02)

My wife did not keep a diary on this trip, but we did write down our dinner selections

We started with Amuse Bouches of

-          Accras de Morue

-          The “sac” from coquilles St Jacques on a curved spoon with parsley

-          Avocado on a sweet crisp

-          Brandade in the shape of a madeleine with olive tapenade & sun dried tomato slice

I had the menu a 39E

-          Chilled foie gras with (very flavorful) gelee, arugula in pastry circle

-          Coquille grille in a soy-based butter sauce; thinly sliced asparagus, tomato “compote”

-          Roquefort from the chariot

-          Stuffed fig with walnut ice cream & honey sauce

Stu had the menu a 53E

-          Foie gras poelle in a spicy sweet sauce with arugula in a potato cup

-          Fish fillet de “fera”

-          Canette in sauce with honeyed baby carrots sliced lengthwise; small stuffed tomato with grains

-          cheeses from the cart

-          “cake log” sliced on a diagonal: 2 pieces with an almond crisp


Chateau de Madiers in Madiers – Rating 5 (6/02)

Stu had the menu a 55E

-          chef’s vegetable salad

-          Frog legs

-          Entrecote with roquefort

-          Cheeses

-          Dessert

I had the menu a 34E

-          warm goat cheese in pastry

-          Stuffed smoked salmon ballotine

-          Cheeses

-          Chocolate mousse

Maurice in Pont d’Herault – rating 6 (6/02)

Stu had the 41E menu

-          Rougets & scallops

-          Cepes with homard & langoustine

-          Lamb

-          Cheese

I had the same menu, but with

-          Rougets (same as Stu)

-          Lotte

-          cheese

-          Glace Praline

Chateau du Rey in Rey – rating 6 (6/02)

Stu had the 37E menu

-          smoked salmon on a salad bed with pistou vinaigrette

-          “fish” (don’t know what type) on a fennel confit & tapenade (actually diced olives & onions)

-          Agneau au jus with potato quenelle, red pepper chutney

-          Cheese

-          Delices de chocolate

I had the 24E menu

-          same salmon as Stu

-          Ballotine de volaille au sauce supreme

-          white chocolate crème brulee

Lot River area

Gouts et Couleurs in Rodez – rating 10 (9/04)  This is a Michelin 1 star

We had reserved for dinner at Gouts et Couleurs in the historic part of Rodez.  This was actually our anniversary dinner (1 day early!).  The interior of the restaurant was tastefully modern, though we ate outside on the terrace.  The décor (both in & out) didn’t really suggest the creativity of the cuisine, nor the attractive & imaginative serving.  While I’ll describe our courses, I can’t even begin to fully describe every detail & taste; it was truly incredible and, when you take “value” into account as well, it went “off the charts”.  We both agreed this might have been one of the very best meals we’ve ever had.

In starting, we had 4 Amuse Bouches ‘courses’

-          pastry baton & pastry round puffs with cumin

-          a tuna/cumin/lemon “dollop” served in an Asian spoon

-          Gazpacho mousse in a glass with a layer of creamy aspic on top

-          Cepe cappuccino with coffee chantilly served in an espresso cup

I had the menu a 28E

-          Mi-cuit of tuna seasoned with cumin, accented with “stripes” of sauces (see my starting comment about tastes & presentations).

-          Cabillaud with saffron risotto with dollops of lemon saffron cream topped with basil leaves (on the cream), accompanied by fried basil julienne & grapefruit section.

-          Mousseline of roquefort (piped from a pastry bag)

-          Macerated strawberries with whipped cream & “striped” sauces with a chocolate feuillete (thin arched strip) with imbedded mint leaves.

Stu had the menu a 44E

-          “soupe” au pistou (a whipped cream consistency of basil) served in a fancy ice cream glass cup with a boule of fruit sorbet & chopped “things” at the bottom with a cheese popsicle.

-          Sautéed foie gras with many types of beet accompaniments: pickled, juice, julienne, chips, essence

-          Stuffed rabbit leg: stuffed with rabbit loin meat, mushrooms, with a quenelle of mushroom, spinach, bulghur, served with 4 different “stripes” of sauces.

-          Roquefort (it’s near here, so it’s featured in many ways on many menus!) crème brulee

-          Chocolate “garden” dessert: chocolate flower pots with various fillings (e.g. candied nuts, fondants) – like an artful garden on a plate.

With this we had Kirs, a bottle of Tavel Rose, 1 glass of Cahors red wine, and a demi Badoit, all for 116E

Hostellerie de la Poste in St Geniez – rating 8 (9/04)

It was a pleasant evening & dinner was being served outside on the covered terrace – casual but charming.  We started with an Amuse Bouche of fennel crème brulee – wonderful & very clever.

Stu had the menu a 34E

-          Mi cuit foie gras with mango chutney & mango/cinnamon sauce, served with cumin toasts

-          Pink trout wrapped in a thin “packet” of phyllo with caramelized leeks & a drizzled caramel sauce

-          Fraises du bois granita with herbs

-          Beef  (cooked rare/saignant) – presumably local Aubrac Beef – served with a potato gratin “brik”

-          Choices from the cheese chariot: 2 roqueforts, a brebis, & a local Aubrac cheese

-          Delices aux chocolate – a chocolate soufflé served in an espresso cup, chocolate “pudding cake”, chocolate sorbet/ice cream & brandied fruit/berries

I had the menu a 28E

-          Mi cuit tuna en brochette, tuna croustillant (tuna in lumpia wrappers) served with pickled julienned red cabbage & red cabbage jus

-          Fraises du bois granita

-          Filet of plagre (white fish) served with a tomato tart with caramelized tomato jus

-          Cheese chariot: 1 roquefort & a local Aubrac

-          Gratin aux fraises

Plus 1 bottle of Tavel Rose (chateau Maby) & 1 glass of Gaillac red – 87.5E total

Le Mejane in Espalion – rating 7 (9/04)

We had reserved for dinner at le Mejane, in nearby Espalion.  It was a fairly simple, but elegant dining room run by a husband & wife team (so common here, especially in smaller towns).  We had an Amuse Bouche of eggplant & tuna caviar, served in a small glass.

Stu had the menu a 36E

-          Foie Gras crousillant (not wrapped in pastry, but rather, standing on end with crisped layers of pastry alternating with slices of mi-cuit foie gras – kind of like an Oreo cookie, served with fig compote & Banyuls sauce

-          Riz d’agneau

-          Herb crusted pigeon, served with pumpkin/squash puree.  Sliced zucchini with diced tomatoes on top.  Tomato halves topped with cheese & herbs and then grilled.

-          Cheese chariot (4 choices including 2 bleus)

-          Gallette aux poires with vanilla caramel crème

I had the menu a 30.50E

-          Tuna mi cuit with tapenade & julienned green onions

-          Cabillaud wrapped in a single thin bacon slice served on lasagna of cepes in a cepe cream sauce – awesome!!

-          Cheese chariot

-          Parfait au verbena: chocolate-rimmed “cylinder” filled with chantilly cream & drizzled with verbena jus, served with a small round chocolate truffle mousse & a hardened chocolate “drizzle” on the side.

With this we started with 2 kirs a la peche, ½ bottle of red Faugeres & 1 50cl bottle of Rose – 91E total

Hotel Moderne et Restaurant l’Eau Vive in Espalion – rating 5 (9/04)

The dining room was large & well lit.  The buzz of conversation was among the noisier of French country restaurants – though absolutely nothing in comparison to the din of many/most restaurants at home.  We couldn’t determine whether the large number of diners was due to the restaurant’s reputation, a tour group stop-over, or whether the hotel had a lot of booked rooms that night.  Two middle-aged (& clearly experienced) women “worked the floor”, assisted in serving by 2 younger women.  It looked like a difficult “server to diner” ratio, but this was clearly something they could do well in their sleep.

I had the menu a 19E

-          Terrine de sandre (2 slices) with salmon “chunks” served with diced tomatoes & herbed tomato concasse, all on a bed of lettuce with a heavenly vinaigrette

-          Whole troute menuiere with lardons & lemon confit with accompanying vegetables – ratatouille, broccoli, pan-sautéed potato slices

-          Choices from the cheese chariot (Bleu d’Auvergne, & camembert)

-          A dessert “sampler” – 8 different desserts: chocolate tarte, custard tarte, apple tart, figue tarte, strawberry tarte, kiwi tarte, bavarois (whipped cream layer cake), fennel cake with fennel mousse topping

Stu had the menu a 26E

-          Fricassee of Escargot with petite legumes (carrots) & thyme vinaigrette

-          Grilled young goat crusted with herbs

-          Same cheese & dessert as I had

With 1 bottle of Tavel rose & ½ bottle of red wine, total 77E.

Domerie in Aubrac – rating 5 (9/04)

We reserved for dinner at Domerie (hotel) in Aubrac, for 2 main reasons – they featured Aubrac beef on the menu & it seemed like a “simple” place far away from the main tourists paths.  The dining room was very simple, although in a decidedly French way: a basic room, but tables double-clothed & with comfortable country chairs & décor.  At the higher elevation, it was noticeably cooler here – most everyone had a sweater thrown over their shoulders & a late arrival came in with a jacket & muffler

I had the menu a 24E

-          Salade mixte (lettuce, shredded carrots, tomatoes, potatoes, & beets) – pleasant, but nothing exceptional

-          Troute menuiere – served whole & cooked perfectly.  Accompanied by some “innocent looking” potatoes that were actually astonishingly good (do they “inject” them with butter?)

-          Aligot – the regional specialty.  A large serving bowl of the cheese/potato/garlic mixture that is outrageously rich (it’s mostly cheese, with just enough potato to bind it together).  Serving it up was a trick in itself – the stringy cheese would extend itself 3 feet, unless you snap it off with a flick, or serving utensils.  This could have been a meal in itself

-          Choices from the cheese chariot (after the aligot, I limited myself to one feeble slice of Bleu d’Auvergne which, considering, was a fairly “gourmand” choice).

-          A choice of several desserts, but having already “feasted to the max” I downsized to one ball of cassis sorbet

Stu had the menu a 30E plus a 4E supplement for the fillet (vs. entrecote) de boeuf.

-          Soupe paysanne - there’s a reason they don’t name the ingredients, which Stu termed “dishwater and parts”

-          Troute menuiere – same as mine

-          Fillet de boeuf d’Aubrac, prepared “saignant” (rare) served with aligot

-          Cheese chariot

-          dessert – also scaled back: chocolate & vanilla ice cream

1 bottle of Tavel rose & ½ bottle of Cahors red – total 84E

Grand Hotel Auguy in Laguiole – rating 8 (9/04).  this is a Michelin 1 star.

This was the most “elegant” restaurant we visited

We started our dinner with kirs made with Chestnut liqueur (de la region).  We then had “pre Amuses Bouches” – four little delectables on a slate roof shingle: tapenade toasts, marinated moules served in a shell, pastries topped with tomatoes & melted cheese, and a regional specialty that was like an herb pancake with pruneaux.

We had two different “official” amuses bouches

-          a strong tomato emulsion topped with a creamy froth served in a tall narrow glass

-          a croquette of sweet garlic with dressed arugula leaves

Stu had le menu a 52E

-          Cannelloni au lapereau (rabbit)

-          Cabillaud on a bed of artichokes, olives, & tomato.  The fish was crisped with the skin side served up

-          Veal, served with a small gratin of potatoes & mushrooms (served in a small white porcelain “skillet”)

-          Aligot (served with the veal as an option)

-          cheese chariot

-          pre-dessert(!) – a red berry coulis with a vanilla cream emulsion on top, served in a tall, small glass that was sloped

-          A myrtille tart served with a small “milkshake” to pour over it, and a thin pastry top

I had le menu a 40E

-          sardines a la mediteranee: diced vegetables, olives, tomatoes, & capers (the sardines were served tiede)

-          same Cabillaud as Stu

-          cheese chariot & same pre dessert as Stu

-          Dessert: transparent d’aubergines with fennel ice cream.  This was an amazing dessert and unlike any menu item I have ever seen

Total with 2 50cl bottles of wine & kirs was 138E

Aux Armes d’Estaing in Estaing – rating 8 (9/04)

The hotel & restaurant had been “complet” on a couple of occasions, so we were a little fearful that they might cater to tour bus groups & we’d be one of the few (if any) individual parties.  We walked in & saw a big table of about 15 & thought “uh, oh”, but we had a good table & on a closer observation saw that there were many individual tables.  It appeared that many people in the dining room were also hotel guests (probably demi-pension).  We checked out the dishes served at the other tables & it looked to be very simple, basic fare served on “cafeteria style” place settings.  Our first clue that “le menu” was dramatically different from the demi-pension choices came when we were served an Amuse Bouche course: warm rich asparagus soup topped with a dollop of tandori butter (served in a small, tall narrow glass), with an accompaniment of house-made herbed chevre ice cream! – and believe it or not, the meal got more wonderful

I had the menu a 23E

-          Marinee of trout wrapped around a mouselline of scallops and ecrevisse (in chunks) served with greens with a mango vinaigrette & a mango slice for garnish

-          Fillet of Sandre (on a Villeroy & Boch “wave” plate) topped with a slice of crisp bacon & served with a reduction sauce.  In addition, on the plate were: steamed spinach, a piped potato croquette, alternating thin slices of zucchini & tomato & a molded round of eggplant, & mushroom mousse edged with zucchini & carrot slices.  Again, the presentation (herbs, diced bell peppers, halved cherry tomatoes) was something to behold.  Even the adjacent demi-pension diners were eyeing our courses (it was as if there were 2 different restaurants operating in the same room).

-          Cheese tray – I limited myself to only St Nectaire

-          I had presumed that our dessert choices would be one of the 5 or 6 kinds of tarts sitting on a big table in the dining room.  The hostess (wife of the chef, it turns out) had been slicing & serving the tart slices to order (dipping first from 2 containers – crème anglaise & a darker fruit sauce & then dusting everything with powdered sugar).  I had been coveting the tart aux myrtilles!!  But our “le menu” dessert choices were entirely different!  Nonetheless, I requested the myrtille tart and, since there only remained 1 small slice, I got that plus 2 slices of strawberry tart

Stu had le menu a 31E

-          Millefeuille de riz d’agneau.  I had expected a layered pastry presentation, but we were astounded when the “layers” were defined by crisps of eggplant & the riz, also with chopped pistachios, on a bed of sautéed cepes!!!  This was served on a big, square frosted glass plate with two sauces – parsley puree & a dark balsamic vinegar reduction – of course, also with the herb & vegetable adornments – awesome !!

-          Leg & breast of canneton (young duck) served on an irregularly shaped Villeroy & Boch triangle plate.  The leg was served on a bed of grapefruit & spiced bread (like a crisp).  The breast was topped with sautéed foie gras.  The dish was adorned with grilled asparagus spears & grilled & caramelized carrots & zucchini

-          Stu had 3 cheeses from the cheese tray

-          Stu did choose from the “le menu” desserts – a chocolate Grand Marnier gateau.  The plate was garnished with passion fruit, kiwi, mangos, strawberries, raspberries, & powdered sugar.

With 1 bottle of Cote de Provence rose and a ½ bottle of Cahors red, the total came to 82E!!!!

St Fleuret in Estaing – rating 9 (9/04)

St Fleuret was a simple dining room, but, as always, very pleasant in an understated sort of way.  We both started with an Amuse Bouche of eggplant and tuna caviar in a glass topped with julienned red cabbage

I had the menu a 22E

-          Troute marinee pate with leeks (not pureed, but chopped & molded) served on a bed of sautéed leeks, all with tapenade vinaigrette.

-          Daurade in a layered presentation: spinach, a thin seasoned crisp, the daurade, curled lengths (like cut with a mandolin) of sautéed zucchini, all served with a red bell pepper coulis seasoned with cayenne

-          cheese from the chariot

-          For dessert, I had the tulipe – thin pastry with warm caramel on the bottom, topped with glazed strawberries & vanilla ice cream

Stu (le gourmand!) had the menu a 50E

-          two lobes of sautéed foie gras speared with a split vanilla bean & an apple tarte tatin & a small arugula salad with mustard seed dressing & stripes of molasses & vinegar reduction sauces

-          A roulade of trout stuffed with chopped pig’s feet (yes, this sounds weird, but Stu insists it was fantastic).  This was served with perfectly cooked zucchini, carrot, Chinese eggplant, bok choy.  The trout was on a bed of veal stock reduction

-          Riz d’agneau with whole ecrevisse & vegetables with lemon beurre blanc

-          Rare pigeon stuffed with forcemeat, and lardons sprinkled on top.  Accompanying the pigeon were caramelized celery & snow peas.  Also, a side of “pounti” – a regional specialty that resembles an herbed potato pancake.

-          Cheese from the chariot

-          For desserts, Stu had a chocolate tart topped with chestnut ice cream and a vanilla froth with raspberries  

All in all, this was an exceptional meal – incredible creative with lots of vegetables that we don’t usually see here (such as the Asian items).  We had a bottle of Cotes de Provence and ½ Cahors red, plus a liter of Badoit.  Total 102E

Gorges de l’Aveyron region

Clos Monteils in Monteils – rating 6  (6/02 & 9/03)

We learned from the last time we were here to knock on the front door to be admitted.  This is clearly a husband & wife team restaurant.  It looks like an ordinary house from the outside.  The dining rooms (2) are in the old house – the room we ate in only could accommodate 10 people. 

We started with amuse bouches: slices of saucisson and small pastry cups with eggplant & red peppers. 

Stu had the menu a 35E

-          Langoustines & cepes in a curry butter sauce with floating whipped eggwhites.

-          Lamb loins (2) served on Tuscan white beans in a lamb jus reduction.  The lamb was accompanied by 3 5” long pasta tubes (about the diameter of a pencil) filled with a green herb sauce.  Also on the plate was a lamb confit wrapped in a sliced length of zucchini

-          “Au Chocolate” dessert

I had the menu a 24.50E

-          a delicious cold eggplant terrine, edged with cepes.  It was served with a balsamic reduction sauce, 3 roasted bell pepper sections (red, yellow, green) and rocket leaves.

-          Pork tornedo wrapped & grilled in fig leaves with a red wine reduction sauce along with a rich, layered potato gratin

-          For dessert, I had the brousse de brebis served with red fruits & a red fruit coulis.

Les Jardin des Thermes in Feneyrols – rating 8  (6/02 & 9/03)

This “restaurant with rooms” is very simple, but the colors & décor in the dining room are lovely – someone has a lot of creativity.

We started out with 2 amuse bouches

-          deep fried croquettes accompanied by artichoke leaves topped with a pea & pomegranate mixture

-          Slices of smoked white fish served with herbed crème fraiche and mustard seeds accompanied by a cold broccoli floweret

We had a hard time choosing among the menus (17,22,29,41E), but Stu (surprise, surprise) chose the Carte Blanche du Chef (41E) which featured whatever courses the chef decided on that night.

Stu started the 41E menu with

-          Foie gras mi-cuit and poelle, each with a different sauce.  Sautéed apple chunks served in a “Chinese” soup spoon sitting on the plate.  A mirepoix of vegetables in 3 dollops, and brandied cherries.

-          Sautéed Lotte in a fish stock with mushrooms.  This was served not in soup bowl, but in a hollowed out round squash.  The squash “bowl” was not cooked, but the squash flesh had been incorporated into the sauce.  Along side the squash bowl were crisped wafer thin zucchini slices on a bed of leeks, mushrooms, & red peppers.

-          Pigeon breast (rare) & roasted leg.  This was served on a bed of ratatouille and artichoke chunks, sautéed red & yellow grape halves, halved small tomatos topped with toasted herbed breadcrumbs, and 2 zucchinis sliced & spread out like a fan.  Caramelized apple slices, and a potato & celery root quenelle accompanied the dish.

-          The cheese course (which we both had) was a small dressed green salad served with two cheese wedges – a chevre & a double cream cheese, along with a tomato vegetable chutney (the chutney was served on a Chinese spoon)

-          For dessert, we both had 3 individual items – peach ice cream, whipped cream topped with sliced strawberries, and a clafoutis (like a small individual cake) of apples & pears.

With these 5 courses, he had 5 different wines, finishing with a sweet rose.  Everything was magnificent  - and the price (41E) included wine!!!

I had the menu a 27E (only 4 courses)

-          Magret de canard sec, with foie gras, smoked white fish rillettes and pieds de porc en croustillant

-          Lotte wrapped in a dry cured ham, served with saffron infused fish stock based sauce.  Chinese rice noodles were sprinkled over one of the pieces of lotte.  I too had the ratatouille/artichoke along side, with shaved raw jicama.

-          Same cheese & dessert as Stu

Les Gorges de l’Aveyron in Montricoux – rating  9  (6/02 & 9/03)

The setting was really lovely: a long lawn-bordered driveway with impatiens & a lovely dining room & outdoor terrace with market umbrellas (though dinner was not being served outside tonight).  We were the only people in the restaurant when we arrived – in fact, we were the only people there for dinner the whole evening.  The dining room was beautifully appointed.  There was a 2 person wait staff & a very complete set of menus (3 fixed priced ones) and a la carte menu as well.  We had eaten here before & really liked it, and tonight’s dinner was superb.

We had 2 amuse bouche courses

-          2 savory pastries (1 with a curry flavor), with excellent foie gras mi-cuit and sausage nibbles

-          Warm tomato based soup with tangy Indian spices

Stu had the Menu a 35E

-          Bavarois des Ecrevisse – a ring-shaped “mold” of the ecrevisse surrounded by a chive cream froth, & tomato chunks with more ecrevisse in the middle

-          Warm crab soup with a spoonful of tomato/ratatouille with mustard seed.  The soup was actually a very creamy veloute & very rich

-          Cote de veau – a veal chop with a morrell & red wine sauce with “ecrased” (mashed) potatoes served in a rounded/molded shape

-          Cheeses from the chariot

-          Chocolate dome filled with coffee ice cream

I had the Menu a 23E

-          smoked salmon served with greens & chive cream

-          Morue (cod) served in phyllo packets with a mustard/butter sauce & capers

-          My dessert, like Stu’s, an “architectural marvel” – a chocolate pyramid which was a layered confection alternating mint chocolate sponge cake & chocolate mousse, served with ice cream.

Aside from the spectacular food, the serving pieces were absolutely exquisite – blue translucent plates for the 2nd amuse bouche, plain translucent plates with dramatic green stripes across one part of the plate, and dessert served on yet another translucent plate – tho this one was triangular.

Pyrenees

Restaurant Phoebus in Foix – rating 7  (5/04)

We reserved for dinner at Restaurant Phoebus, with an enclosed terrace with a panoramic view that included the Chateau and the mountains.   We started with complementary champagne aperitifs – 1 cassis & 1 peach with sugar on the rim.  Then 2 separate amuse bouches

-          Prune wrapped in bacon

-          Sandre mousse in an Asian soup spoon & a mustard/dill cream sauce topped with a bit of caviar

I had the menu a 30E

-          Saumon Marinee with caviar plus lamb carpaccio served with pink peppercorns

-          Croustillant de sandre with fennel

-          I choose a pear mousse for dessert, and it consisted of a beautiful large rectangular plate with a fresh marigold, a white flower, a fennel sprig, and a small puddle of raspberry coulis – 4 items spread across the top half of the plate.  The lower half was 3 dollops of pear mousse with a bittersweet chocolate wafer sticking up from the mousse.

Stu had the 43E menu

-          Two preparations of foie gras – a soufflé, accompanied by 3 slices of mi-cuit with fleur de sel

-          Canneton on a bed of zucchini with an accompanyment of tomato ragout

-          Vanilla poached apple with a saffron cream sauce


Hostellerie de la Poste in Oust – rating 5  (5/04)

The menu proudly proclaimed the operation of the hostellerie for four generations – amazing.  But so typical in smaller towns.  The family home was in the backyard of the hotel & the family was downstairs eating dinner in the hotel before the start of the guest’s dinner at 7:45.  The hosts just seem to know how to seamlessly combine family life with running a restaurant/hotel – which I guess makes sense after 80 years.

Stu had the menu a 25E to which he considered adding an a la carte pigeon course.  I asked the server if this would be a good idea & he looked wide-eyed, saying this might be “trop” (too much).  Finally, Stu relented & later agreed it would have been “trop”.  The amuse Bouche was olives wrapped with marinated anchovies & some sausage disks.

Stu’s menu started with grilled rougets seasoned with basil, accompanied by endive leaves stuffed with couscous & a small mustard vinaigrette dressed salad.  Then he had the bar au fenouil, with saffron rice, green beans, & ratatouille.  His dessert was an apple tart whose somewhat irregular shape certainly suggested it was home made.  I started with the salad au chevre chaud, followed by salmon in sorrel sauce.  I had the raspberry sorbet for dessert.

L’Atalaya in Llo – rating 6 (5/04)

The dining room was absolutely wonderful – tables tucked into private corners in the paneled & timbered room with expansive windows opening to a panorama – including both the mountains beyond & the valley below the inn.  Stu & I both chose the 29E menu (the only fixed price choice).  After an assortment of savory puff pastries as an amuse bouche and kirs in a tall fluted glass, I started with an asparagus terrine, prepared not as a mousse, but in a most unusual way.  This was followed by a grilled daurade in a lobster sauce.  For dessert I had a puff pastry with a chevre round inside & with a perfectly dressed salad of greens with toasted hazelnuts.  Stu started with lobster soup with 2 pieces of lobster, ecrevisse, and merlu with a cream base.  Then he had the magret de canard with grilled melon & a round of eggplant.  For dessert he had a chilled strawberry soup with ice cream.

Roussillon area

Hostalet de Vives in Vives  - rating lots of food   (6/04)

We reserved at the Hostalet de Vives, which according to the Michelin guide serves “gargantuesques plats catalans” (no need for translation!).  The restaurant was located in a very quaint stone building & had a terrace, though the dining was indoors tonight.  We thought we’d be prudent in ordering based on the warning about portion size, so we thought we’d just order 2 courses each a la carte.  I was even more cautious & decided to stick with 2 starter courses only.  I started with the salade de morue.  Needless to say, it was huge – big chunks of cod (cheviche, marinated), with lettuce and garnishes of mushrooms, hard boiled eggs and lots of garlic (7 “breath assures” worth).  I concentrated on eating the morue, which was fabulous.  Stu started with the escargots Catalan style – served in a round earthenware casserole with a tomato-based sauce.  I was ready to call for “l’addition” when the main courses came!  When the waiter brought mine (grilled bread with tomatoes, zucchini, more garlic, lots of anchovies, and at least a dozen large slices of prochiutto) I literally asked if it was all for me? (I thought maybe they offered this huge platter & each person took a helping – kind of buffet style, but nooooo….all for me).  It was truly a shocking amount of food & I’m guessing that I ate about ¼ of it.  I felt so guilty about wasting food that I furtively put about 8 slices of the prochiutto in my purse (breakfast & lunch for probably a couple of days).  Stu’s choice took the cake!  He had ordered a traditional Catalan dish called “boles” – reported to be meatballs served with olives & smoked bacon.  Well, after the waiter brought the four 8” round & 2” deep casseroles of food (all constituting this one menu selection!) I thought my eyes would fall out of my head.  This really looked like an “all you can eat” buffet, but with the whole buffet set up in front of Stu.  In addition to the meatballs, there were 3 more dishes - one each of potatoes, fava beans, and white beans.  If I had been able to stash his un-eaten portions in my purse, we probably would have had our dinners for the remainder of the week accounted for.  The waiter seemed genuinely surprised that we didn’t want dessert.  We waddled to the car, still shaking our heads over the portions.

Al Fanal in Banyuls – rating 7  (6/04) we dined here twice

The drive to dinner was breathtaking – with the hills planted everywhere with grapevines.  The vines were planted in small patches so the texture of the vineyards changed constantly.  The restaurant was a very nice, simple place with a nautical décor – nothing schocky, but quite tastefully done.  On warm days, there are large windows that can be opened up to enhance the views of the bay and the town.  I had the menu a 20E, starting with moules gratinees, topped with toasted almonds (something different, but quite pleasing).  Then I had the cabillaud (ling cod) with a fennel cream sauce & a puree of potatoes & cockles.  For dessert, I had the dessert of the day – something with candied fruit in a fromage blanc.  Stu had the menu a 27, starting also with the moules, followed by a canneton (duck family) with lardons fumes, accompanied by a broccoli gratinee.  He then had the crème Catalan for dessert.  We both had a sweet Banyuls wine for an aperitif & a rose wine with dinner.  We both agreed that the meal was excellent & really an extraordinary value.

On our second dinner here, we both had the 20E menu.  This time we both started with the soupe de poisson – an excellent version with a lot of “texture”.  This dish varies considerably among restaurants where it is served & the consistency is usually an immediate clue as to how it tastes: thick is good, thin is not good.  This was very thick & attractively served in boat-shaped bowls, along with the required “accessories” – aioli, toasts, & grated cheese.  This version had a garlic clove that could be rubbed over the toasts.  Stu then added in a “supplement” a la carte course of the moules gratinee with almonds.  For our main courses we both had the perch fillets on lemon risotto served with carrot & cumin sauce.  We both had the dessert of the day – a rich chocolate gateau served with raspberry sauce.

Restaurant Amadeus in Argeles Plage – Rating 6 (6/04)

After having read that the town was a “camping mecca” attracting “tens of thousands” of people in the summer, we were kind of apprehensive.   We were there in mid June which is before the July/August French vacation onslaught, and the town was quite peaceful.  We had an excellent dinner there (and good value!).  We both had le menu a 33E.  I started with a fish cheviche with “guacamole” served with a thin but soft (not crisp) cumin bread.  What great flavors - I was in heaven.  Then I had swordfish served with soy-tossed & wok-cooked julienned vegetables.  We then had a refresher course of an anise-flavored sorbet, followed by a cheese course, for which I had chosen the fromage blanc with honey.  For dessert I had pears poached in Maury champagne, served with vanilla ice cream.  Stu started with a plate of 9 oysters, then had grilled bar served with pepper ice cream.  For his cheese course, he had 2 formed mounds of herbed soft cheese with toasts.  For dessert he had a soft-flowing chocolate cake accompanied by ice cream.

Neptune in Collioure – rating 8 (6/04)  This is a Michelin 1 star restaurant

We decided to go into Collioure a bit early for Stu’s birthday dinner to have an aperitif at the port.  We got a front row seat on the main beach area.  The restaurant had a lovely setting, and they were serving on their enclosed terrace.  The view from the terrace was wonderful, especially as the sun lowered in the sky.  Since it was his birthday, Stu went for the mega-gourmand menu a 79E.  But, we started with 2 courses of amuse bouches – cheese batons & pastry toasts with tomato & cheese, then a firm chilled “soup” with three layers: avocado mousse on top, a crustacean gelee layer, with crab at the bottom.  Stu’s first course was 2 discs of lobster wrapped in bacon, with cannelloni stuffed with basil mousse & a green herb sauce delicately drizzled on it all.  He then had loup with 2 oysters & asparagus spears fanned out from the fish, all drizzled with a buttery herb sauce.  Then (!!) he had pigeon breast (cooked rose) stuffed with foie gras & a game reduction sauce, served on a “cake” of grains.  Finally, for dessert he had a raspberry millefeulle with ice cream & a raspberry sauce.  My dinner (48.50E) started with Collioure anchovies (a local specialty) with red peppers & a green basil/herb sauce.  Aside from the fantastic flavors, the presentation was most interesting as far as the arrangements on the plate.   Then I had lotte en brochette.  A lemongrass spear was used to skewer the chunks of fish.  The lotte was wrapped in leeks, all served with a citrus sauce.  I had the “all chocolate” dessert: chocolate ice cream, chocolate mousse, with crème anglaise.

Les Arcades in Aigues Mortes – rating 8  (10/04)

The ambience was so inviting – stone vaulted walls accented with deep ochre in some areas, gorgeous French antique pieces, custom linens & imaginative candles & votives.

Amuse bouche of cheese & tapenade pastries.

I had the menu a 32E

-          Soupe de Poisson- my first of this trip.  And, wow, this one was fabulous – deeply colored and very thick, with a wonderfully piquant aoili.  It was served from a big tureen, with garlic toasts and grated cheese.

-          Cabillaud with tapenade and a buttery basil tomato sauce – very moist & perfectly prepared

-          Illes Flotantes with caramel sauce

Stu had the menu a 41E

-          Amuse Bouche of cucumber gazpacho

-          Mi-cuit foie gras with a glass of Muscat wine

-          Roasted pigeon with a dark wild game sauce, along with potatoes Dauphinois (among the best!), a light squash puree, and assorted vegetables

-          Cheese chariot – 3 choices including Epoisses

-          Delice aux 3 chocolates

We both had post dinner sweets.  Altogether a wonderful dinner, with kirs, a 50cl rose, a 50cl Cahors red – total 104E.

11/04

Stu Dudley

San Mateo, Ca

StuDudley@aol.com

 

 

 

 

 
 
 

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