Located in lush Saint-Bonnet-le-Froid, and garnering Michelin Stars and Relais & Chateaux…read morerecognition on par with Bras, Blanc, Pic, and Troisgros, Régis et Jacques Marcon was the fifth 'destination' dinner on trip through Central France and although the restaurant may lack the international acclaim of the others it was amidst the spacious environs overlooking valleys and fields that an extraordinary meal was enjoyed, Le Menu entre Velay et Vivarais centrally focused on the bounty of Mother Nature with a particular eye on foraged mushrooms and local Lentils de Puy.
Truly a beautiful place, the hotel and restaurant atop a hill decorated in hard woods, wide windows, and a ceiling that literally sparkles like the stars, entry to Régis et Jacques Marcon is via covered parking into a well appointed salon, and with reservation confirmed it was after a brief visit to the kitchen that the table was ready - a fourtop set for one with fancy linens, fine silver, and English fluent service that trumped any seen in France before.
Providing ample literature about the Marcon concept alongside several dining options including the summer tasting which suggested seven courses despite actually offering more than a dozen when accounting for canapes, amuses, cheese, mignardises, and a special gift from the kitchen, service began with several snacks offered in the spirit of the forest, everything from the dangling nut to an Oyster with Green Apple proving excellent, the creamy mushroom cap symbolic of much to come.
Next presented a quartet of bites, each enlivened by herbs from the garden that served to highlight the featured proteins and produce, it was with warm bread and mushroom shaped butter that the afternoon progressed and although doing my best not to overindulge in the warm cracked wheat the plan mostly proved fruitless, a second round later arriving...though admittedly long after I was wowed by a garlicky snail in choux alongside a shooter of creamy soup proving an inspired juxtaposition of flavors as well as textures with a light fennel finish.
At this point starting the proper menu, forty-five minutes of snacks already passed, service progressed as a slowly unfolding story of French summer, a low bowl of sprout broth with cubes of firm fish served beside supple tartare of the same - a shooter of Tomato Gazpacho once again acting to ready the palate for a follow-up of snappy langoustine served atop rhubarb and green beans brought into new light by a sabayon of zucchini and 'just a touch' of cream.
Continuing to richer flavors, though little of what Is served at Maison Marcon could be considered 'heavy' in any traditional way, a ratatouille cake surrounded in mushrooms found substantial depth of flavor amidst a reduction of fine herbs while the tender filet of Brill dressed in bitter vegetables including radish and cabbage was surprisingly subtle despite the substantial portion.
Again taken to the kitchen, an unexpected surprise that saw me greeted by both Regis and his son Jacques, it was thanks for 'coming such a long distance' that a gift from the kitchen was given, the tender ragout of lentils dressed in a 'just laid' quail egg beneath black truffles every bit as decadent as would be expected while the following cup of mushroom tea and truffle ravioli reminisced of Achatz's "explosion" with less intensity but better context.
Rounding out savories with a pigeon in two forms atop vegetables and fruits, with a vibrant pineapple pan jus poured tableside before moving on to cheese, the grand finale of lunch at Marcon was unveiled in piece-by-piece fashion and as excellent as bites of Apricot Cake with Blossom Flower Emulsion and Herb Ice Cream were it was without doubt the Verbena liquor soaked baba that stole the spotlight, a collection of mignardises including Chocolate mushrooms, Truffled Nougat, Candied Citrus Lentils, and fresh Cream with Chestnut Liquor all equally befitting a dining destination that exemplifies concepts of seasonality, time, and place.
