Outstanding artistically plated fine dining food at this teeny tiny spot run by a brilliant husband and wife. Michelin star level cuisine without the pretentious atmosphere or prices. One of the best meals I've had in a while.
Food: 5, Service: 5, Atmosphere: 5
Cost to worth it rating 5: 7 course tasting menu for 52 Euro!!!
Return worthiness: yes!!! If I'm so lucky to be able to return
Eve award: best meal I had in Loire Valley
Highlights:
- Duck: most perfectly cooked duck breast I've ever had. Tender but not too rare or overdone, just the right amount of fat, and a sizeable boneless slice. Paired with this beautiful carrot purée and charred onion. 5 stars!!!
- Bread: crunchy on the outside and fluffy on the inside. So fantastic in nailing its simplicity and making a common roll amazing. 5 stars
- Asparagus mousse amuse: so light and fluffy with a Willy Wonka style to it as it looked like regular white whipped cream. Topped with a thin
- Parmesan crisp and a small piece of fish. 5 stars.
- Service: lovely wife was so friendly and accommodating.
- Atmosphere: only about 6 tables in a nice welcome bar area
- Foie gras: another perfect preparation with a lovely char sear and melt in your mouth inside when cut into. Pea pairing with peas and a thicker purée was a bit random for me. 5 stars for the foie, 4 stars for the dish.
- Swordfish: thick slice cooked ahi style seared outside and rare in the middle. Topped with a light ginger textured Thai sauce and paired with a sabayon with thin rounds of chorizo. 4.5 stars
- Salmon: large slab sushi rare style with a light grapefruit foam. The crispy slightly sweet sesame tulle was an expected addition. 4 stars
- Burrata and chorizo: dollops of creamy cheese and pepperoni style sliced tasty seasoned chorizo. 4 stars
- Beef cheeks: tender pieces of beef with fresh vegetables with a light gravy sauce. 4 stars
- Fresh strawberry with a fresh citrus sherbet and surprising slice of fennel. 4 stars
- Amuses: impressive with a collection of 4 all together to start. Stars were the little fried crab cake balls and tiny piece of eel on beet opaque jello. 4 stars
Midlights:
- Dessert: loved the mango sorbet with chunks of mango but didn't mesh with the thick chestnut paste on the long flat pastry. 3 stars
- Goat cheese dessert: nothing wrong with it paired with some icey sorbets with goat cheese as well. I'm just not a goat cheese fan. 3 stars
- Veal head amuse: tasty but bit intimidating with the gelee texture. 3 stars.
Lowlights:
- Fried cheese amuse: pretty dry. 2 stars
- In a tiny town so if you're staying in another like Reims it's a short drive.
Absolutely adored this little place and would come back to the Loire Valley just to eat here again. read more