9/8/15: We found out very quickly that the very best traditional French restaurants all require reservations, and many only serve one single sitting--that is, they serve one set of people, at one set time, and that IS IT for the whole day! As you can imagine, these policies are terrible for travelers from abroad.
...BUT, we found our savior HERE! We were met with shaking heads a few blocks away, but somehow found our way here, a true Bouchon!!!, that is a restaurant serving traditional Lyonnaise cuisine. And they let us in!
1. 50cl Blanc (house specialty white, forgot menu name) 14 EUR: Forgot the exact nature of this, but it's a house wine that's somewhat special. Maybe from the region? But whatever it was, it tasted really damn good. Maybe one of the best white ones I've had. Slightly sweet, and rich. Nicely chilled too. 10/10.
2. Menu Canaille 36 EUR:
2a. Home made terrine of foie gras: I have to be honest with you--by this time I've already had more foie gras in France than I've had over several years, each with their own nuances. And unfortunately I forgot the particulars of this one. Some were smoother, some were richer, some were sweeter. But sorry, forgot here. I just remember I liked it a lot, and it definitely tasted rustic and "home made." 8/10.
2b. The Chef's suggestion (which would be Brains): Yup, brains. I asked the waitress, who was great btw, if it would make me smarter? No response. Anyway, I would say this was my only letdown of the night. The coating tasted a little like that on my failed fried chicken attempts--crumbly and chunky, and didn't really stick well to the meat. I've had fried sweetbread (thymus gland) before, which tastes quite similar, but the coating tasted much better and stuck on. The brains itself, if you're not going to try, is.... I guess, maybe the consistency of foie gras, texture-wise, but without the same taste. Not as buttery, and without that slight liver richness. Anyway, I only ate half of it. Had to try it. 4/10.
2c. Fresh mild potted farmers cheese served with heavy cream and sugar: So you get 3 choices of cheese, and I THINK I got this one, but the description doesn't really match how it tasted. It's really similar to bleu cheese dressing! Same consistency. Doesn't have the bleu cheese taste though--a different kind of cheesy taste. But really is like dressing. Strange stuff. Anyway, kinda wish I got one of the others. But I suppose this "cheese" is somewhat special, so it's good to try once. 5/10.
2d. Gnafron Black currant sorbet drizzled with Marc de Bourgogne: Somewhat simple dessert--just sorbet. Comes with a big wine bottle full of a dark brandy. And HOLY COW that brandy is STRONG. It is sharp, and it is quite harsh. I noticed that the liquor used in a lot of the French desserts is super strong, like drinking alcohol straight up, not sweet and milder like a port. Anyway, the brandy wasn't my thing, but luckily you pour it yourself so I didn't use much. The sorbet though tasted wonderful. Texture wasn't the best being somewhat rough. But the taste itself was phenomenal. Full grape flavors. Anyway, I think it's a little too simple for a high-end meal, and the texture could be improved. 6.5/10
3. Tete de veau sace gribiche 19 EUR: I think this is one of their specialties, and the table next to us got the same thing. We chatted a little with them and asked them if they tried the brains before--they gave us the equivalent of "hell no, it's too adventurous even for us," and these are real French natives! So, I didn't think they were the super foodie types, but they did get this--and well....... I think for us Westerners, many would find it kinda gross. Have you ever had boiled/braised pig's feet before?--it's like that. Glutinous. Gelatinous. Soft jello if skin. Yeah. And unlike Chinese preparations, they used very little seasoning, so you don't even have soy sauce to hide the skin flavor. So.......... up to you... (the four French dudes next to us loved it though.) Btw, it comes with veggies too, which also were also under-seasoned. 5/10.
4. Chartreuse V.E.P. Jaune 13 EUR: I have never seen liqueur served like this before. They put a gargantuan magnum sized black bottle in front of you. It's ice cold so it's completely frosted over, which makes it look even more badass! But what comes out is a light yellow liquid like white wine. Taste?--I think it's like a really sweet gin. Uber botanical. But very sweet. I never like gin much, but I loved this stuff!--the sweetness totally tames all those other botanical flavors, and really allows you to cherish them more. 10/10.
5. L'Oreiller de la Belle Meuniere 16 EUR: I love how this thing looks! A variety of meats stuffed in bread, even including foie gras! Check out my pics--it's beautiful. Tasted amazing too! 10/10.
Though I didn't like everything, I'm so grateful to have tried a true Bouchon!
5/5
#france #french #bouchon #lyonnaise read more