The Daily Diary of a Wandering Restaurateur
Joyeaux Noel
Merry Christmas. For the first time since we arrived, the day has dawned clear and sunny ... and not a moment oo soon! I
don't know quite what to expect today as it seems most of the holiday action in France happens on Christmas Eve. We've gone
on the assumption that none of our normal haunts will be open. what few restaurants are operating are offering fixed price
holiday menus, many of them at lunch only. So to be safe, earlier this week we made reservations for the Christmas lunch menu
at La Balade des Saveurs, a well-regarded restaurant along one of the major canals.
(Note: we chose them in large part because they had posted the holiday menu on the door, so we knew they'd be open, what we
would get, and how much it would cost. The lesson here is that full transparency is good business. Confusion costs you money.)
We'll head over there in about an hour and this should be our one meal of the day. (We find that's the way it works for us
when we're traveling.) If we need a bit of a snack this evening, there's always the rest of the chicken from yesterday and
odds and ends in the fridge ... another benefit of having the apartment over a hotel room.
Here's today's menu. I'll provide more detail, translations (and hopefully a few photos) after the meal. At the moment, 49
euros is roughly equivalent to US$55, certainly a fair price for what I trust will be a culinary adventure. As always,
Margene thinks it sounds like a lot of food -- and it probably sounds that way -- but I'm thinking it will be more
like a tasting menu. Whatever it turns out to be, we'll have the rest of the day to walk it off! Stay tuned.
OK, to the menu and what it meant: Coupe de Champagne was a complimentary glass served upon seating. It was a pleasant way to begin the experience. Then from left to right starting in the top row: Gougère Safranée were like small puff paste shells stuffed with a saffron filling. The other starter was something sweet wrapped in bacon. I don't think it was on the printed menu and it was gone too quickly for any closer analysis. Dôme de saumon et Saint-Jacque, crème de homard was a piece of salmon wrapped around salmon mousse and a whole scallop, topped with a lobster cream sauce. I opted for a 500ml bottle of Gigondas to accompany the meal. Margene quits after a sip or two but I am really fond of this particular wine. I was pleased to see they offered something a bit smaller than a full bottle.
The main course was a Beef Wellington with a couple of different kinds of mushrooms in addition to the traditional foie gras coating around the beef. I thought an open presentation like this was an interesting variation on the way I usually see it served. Billat-savarin foureè à la truffe noire du Mont-Ventoux was the cheese course, a triple cream brie-like soft cheese stuffed with local black truffles. There was a small salad on the thin slate slab. Again, a nice job of presentation. For dessert we had a section of a miniature Bûche de Noel, the traditional Christmas log, this one filled with a pear mousse around an intense center of jellied cassis and violet. I think the outer shell was the same cassis mixture. The side "beverage" was thick spiced coconut milk.
Since this was a special reservations-only meal, the restaurant layout was altered to fit the
parties. We were in the main dining room which was set for three deuces, two threes, a ten-top and a twenty-top. (Thank God
for a fixed menu!) I think I had the best view in the house, my child bride Margene! (She, on the other hand, was stuck
staring at an old man! He does have a cool scarf, though!) I like that coffee in Europe always comes with a small sweet
something on the side. Today it was a tasty filled chocolate. Very civilized! Even the table decoration was elegantly simple.
I don't think my budget (or my waistline!) could take eating like this on a regular basis, but it surely was a superb
Christmas present to give ourselves! Needless to say, we weren't hungry the rest of the day.
My only regret is that I didn't get a photo of Sophie, the apparent GM (owner?), but she was continually in action, taking
care of business and always with a smile that lit up the dark corners of the room. The place was so busy that I just didn't
think it appropriate to ask her to stop for a picture. I love people who are passionate about what they do and are good at it
... and she was one of the best! Merci, Sophie, for making our Christmas Day special.
© 2015 Restaurant Doctor
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