ENTHUSIAST OF ALL

Since becoming such an enthusiast of wine in my mid 20s, it’s been a dream of mine to visit Bordeaux, a region which I believe produces the greatest wines in the world. Instead of home-basing out of downtown Bordeaux, I decided to focus on one specific region- St. Emilion on the right bank of the Gironde River. The easiest way to access Bordeaux is in and out of Paris, as high-speed trains travel between the two cities several times daily, and rental cars are easily available at the Bordeaux train station. One of the best parts of visiting France is enjoying the food, so my Sidekick Courtney (who would soon become my fiance) and I focused on authentic bistro style meals in both regions. The results of our culinary adventures follow below, and played a big part in making this a trip we will never forget. We can recommend dining at each of these destinations.

ST. EMILION

L’Envers du Decor- Bright, bustling and authentic bistro features a chalkboard menu as dishes change daily, and in English to boot. I opted for a rich appetizer of rabbit liver followed by a perfectly cooked and substantial filet of beef. We were dining here among the locals as news of the Notre Dame fire spread throughout the restaurant.

La Terrasse Rouge- The restaurant at La Dominique vineyard offers an affordable three course tasting menu (€39, additional €25 for a three glass wine pairing) combined with expansive vineyard views that look north towards Pomerol. Adjacent first growth Cheval Blanc is visible as well. Lunch consisted of goat cheese ravioli and a succulent roasted breast of duck. Terrace seating is available in warmer months, but the main dining room smells incredible, and the views are the same.

Lard et Bouchon- The entire St. Emilion region is defined by its limestone plateau, so dining inside of one of its quarries is a magical and mandatory experience. The food here was arguably the most flavor-intense of our entire trip. Innovative dishes like poached eggs in Bordelaise sauce with foie gras and duck breast topped with a foie gras cutlet in Perigeux sauce really hit the bull’s-eye.

Atelier de Candale-The intimate restaurant at Chateau Candale offers a bargain prix fixe menu at lunch time (€26) in a gorgeous countryside vineyard setting. A crab meat and lobster bisque was followed by a perfectly medium-rare cooked and richly prepared filet of beef. Outdoor seating is available in warmer months, and the dining room features floor to ceiling windows to soak in the views.

Les Delices Du Roy- This small and casual bistro is famous for its duck burger, so that’s what you order here. This is not ground duck, as you can plainly see, but instead consists of sliced duck breast and foie gras cutlets doused in a rich green peppercorn sauce. Knife and fork are advisable when consuming this juicy dish. An appetizer of rabbit terrine was the perfect prelude.

La Table de Plaisance- This Michelin two star restaurant provided a unique and romantic ambiance to both execute a proposal and celebrate an engagement. The terrace looks out upon the Monolithic church with the city square and medieval town below. At €72 per person for three courses and two glasses of wine, this is a bargain special occasion lunch for such a highly acclaimed establishment. Highlights included a white asparagus soup and monkfish soaked in beets and wrapped in bacon.

Chai Pascal- Cozy and laid back wine bar was the perfect finale to our St. Emilion adventure, as the friendly servers delivered substantial portions of rustic bistro classics at affordable prices. My starter of pork terrine could have been a meal in itself, but I made room to finish the crispy, gamey confit leg of duck.

PARIS

Le Procope- Always a lively destination for a late night dinner on Rue l’Ancienne Comedie, Paris’ oldest cafe is always a mandatory stop when visiting the city, specifically for its famous Coq Au Vin served in a cauldron.

Les Deux Magots- No cafe crawl can be considered complete without a trip to this famous literary rendez-vous next to the Saint-Germain des Pres church. It served as the perfect first meal off the plane for weary travelers as the confit duck leg served with crispy potatoes really hit the spot.

Polidor- Hemingway’s favorite establishment still draws a packed house in a noisy, bustling setting. They go to extreme measures to maintain the antique quality of the place; for example, the restroom consists of a single hole in the ground behind a door (not pictured). The service is friendly, if a bit frantic and inattentive, but the Beef Bourguignon with mashed potatoes lived up to its billing.

Le Petit Pontoise- A charming little restaurant off the south bank of the Seine that provides a €23 two course lunch menu along with friendly service. We sat outside on a narrow sidewalk as I started with a pork mousse terrine followed by a sliced duck breast in peppercorn sauce served with roasted potatoes and carrots.

Le Trumilou- Finding decent dining in the touristy area around the Notre Dame can be challenging, but you could do worse than this location set just north of the Seine. They offer a two course lunch for €20, which culminated in a simply prepared roast beef .

Cafe Pont Neuf- We enjoyed an impromptu and leisurely Easter brunch here at this centrally located spot before heading to the airport, and I finally got my leg of lamb.

Au Revoir!

This entry was posted on June 12, 2019 at 3:39 pm and is filed under Eats. You can subscribe via RSS 2.0 feed to this post's comments. You can skip to the end and leave a response. Pinging is currently not allowed.