Magnificent Haute Cuisine in the Beaujolais countryside.
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La Clef de Voute is the country restaurant of Pascal Crepieux, a magnificent chef.
Never mind the fact that one of his primary innovations is the use of aloe vera as an ingredient in traditional French dishes.
You will have no idea which of the items on your plate have aloe vera and which do not.
The aloe vera part really doesn't matter.
The tasting sensational part does matter.
You are in for an absolute treat.
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Crepieux is known for his quenelles.
These are the largest, fluffiest, most delicate quenelles you will have in your life.
Lighter than a souffle, and somewhat magical.
For my money, though, the thrill of the day was the pate de fois gras that came with the boar terrine.
These come on a plate with small amounts of various taste contrasts:
A fig compote, a rocket salad (I am sure there was aloe vera in the rocket), various other small saucings of various colors that I could not identify.
Nothing distracted from the earthiness of the boar, or the sheer die-and-go-heaven-fattiness-as-total-bliss-ness of the pate de foie gras.
I will be remembering that foie gras for a long time.
A very long time.
This being Beaujolais country, the house has access to bottles of incredible Beaujolais at prices that are practically a giveaway.
The Beaujolais I had that afternoon was the finest wine I have had in a very very long time.
The rest of my table had cooked desserts, and oohed and aahed over every one.
I had a simple local fromage blanc with creme fraiche.
The Lyon area is known for several fine locally produced fromage blanches.
I could not have asked for anything better.
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Do not leave without having the Apertif Maison.
This is one of Pascal Crepieux's master creations.
Chef Crepieux was a saint and poured a round for the entire table.
You have had limoncello. You have had lemon drinks.
This is a lemon PEEL liqueur.
Limoncello tastes like fake lemon candy.
Lemon drinks taste like lemonade.
Lemon peel is a different thing altogether.
It makes for a bracing stimulating wake-up finale.
This is a never-to-be-forgotten after dinner drink.
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Best of all, when you leave the restaurant, you are in Val d'Oingt.
Val d'Oingt is a medieval town on a hill overlooking a rustic countryside.
The views are everything you wanted rural France to be.
The winding passageways and stairs of the Old Town are everything you wanted a French village to be.
You have just eaten the French meal that is everything you wanted gourmandise to be.
And you have just drunk the Beaujolais that is everything you wanted French wine to be.
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Most of real-life France is not the France of your dreams and fantasies.
La Clef de Voute and the village of Val d'Oingt really IS the France of your dreams and fantasies.
This is the picture on your calendar,
The illustrations in your first year French book,
Your memories from 1960's French movies.
It really is as good as all that.
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Yes, Virginia, there is a Pere Noel. read more
