Déjà vu.
As we drove…read moreup to the Château, something tugged at my memory about this place. It was familiar...but from where? A contact I had in Normandy made a reservation for me here, knowing my interest in local cuisine and ingredients.
Sitting in the main dining room with an exquisite view of the French (English, to some) Channel and watching the tides' tremendous retreat, it struck me. Anthony Bourdain had been a guest of Chef Olivier Roellinger in his Brittany episode...which may explain why, at 2 tables, people were taking pictures of every dish. Gastro-tourism at its finest.
What was nice about having seen the show was knowing the backstory. The attention to detail, the emphasis on local ingredients, the gardens, the locally sourced meats and fish. Even the simple country bread was memorable.
We enjoyed a decadent (prix fixe) lunch, consisting of an appetizer, entrée, and dessert. The selections were seafood focused, with local Cancale Oysters as a highlight (you can see the chateaux from the oyster houses on the coastline), and various fish and shellfish. I enjoyed the "Mont St. Michel" lamb, as well. World class, exquisite fare that was fresh beyond belief...although classic French, the modern influences, even some Asian in a little lagniappe that we had at the start of the meal. (Yes, I know lagniappe is Cajun not Continental French, but although you can take the girl out of Louisiana...)
We could not pass up the cheese cart (insert between entree and dessert). It's a required gastronomic experience when visiting northern France...Normandy and Bretagne cheeses are the best in the world, in my opinion...though my Norman travelling companion had a strong opinion on #1 in that constest.
The dessert cart was a superlative experience...one could make a feast of that alone. I went for a mere four little tastes including a delicious pistachio confection and (for me) the obligatory chocolate treat.
The wine list was pretty phenomenal, as I would expect, and we enjoyed a bottle of Chassagne Montrachet, a noteworthy wine to accompany an unforgettable experience.
Indeed. I won't forget this one.