I love mussels. Chris's dad loves mussels. He says, 'They're great if you don't look at them.'…read moreAfter only being able to exercise my carnivorous instincts upon seafood for twelve years before rediscovering meat, I do like to look at them. Gross as they are, I like to look them right in the... eye?... shell?... weird, wrinked body?... and tell them how much I'm going to enjoy them via my unique sea-dweller telepathy. Now, I've only ever had mussels in the form of a starter, a big old shared crockpot with creamy white wine and herb sauce and a huge hunk o' bread of some kind.
Now I'd heard of moules frites, and it had always intrigued me. Mussels wi' chips? How would that work? My Northern brain vexed itself. The only seafood I'd ever had with a side of fried pataters would be a chunk of battered fish or a good breadcrumby fishcake. Colour me interested. When Chris was telling me of all the marvellous things I could try in Le Touquet, including savoury crepes, sweet waffles, macarons, wine, all the amazing cheese, he asked me if I'd ever had moules frites and told me he'd take me to La Chope to try them, a gallant act considering he deems all seafood poison. And, well, him saying anything Frenchy just makes me stupid and girly. Remember this review, yelpers? http://www.yelp.co.uk/biz/le-marche-francais-edinburgh#hrid:Oi_5UyrpkYJw39UFIZcQ7Q If you're following the story of our hilarious decade-build-up romance, it was pretty obvs at this point that I was goo-goo eyed over him. Ahem, anyway, less of my lovelife, back to les moules!
So the three of us trundled through the pretty town snow to grab us a good lunch at La Chope. I didn't realise how much of a tourist destination Le Touquet actually is, and this dish is something the visitors love, so La Chope cater to them well. The staff are friendly as soon as you enter, the beers are cheap (and blooming delicious - Chris's Belgian tipple was divine!) and the whole thing is done very theatrically. I was given a giant plastic bowl which looked salt-worn and fisherman-like to throw my shells into, and when the signature dish arrived it was a massively generous portion of mussels in a clear, herby broth of the like I'd never seen before, filled with garlic, shallots and parsley. And my big bowl of chips on the side was just heavenly. In fact most of the menu's dishes come with a side of chips - Chris's ham and his dad's steak being good examples - and these are less side portions, more separate portions in their hugeness. Awesome. Dash them with salt and vinegar and enjoy. Check the pictures and tell me you're not jealous.
French-wise, the moules frites are really reasonably priced at just over 12 euros, and hilariously the beers are cheaper than the soft drinks. My coffee, a Lavazza, the only coffee of the entire trip for me (shocker I know!) was so kick-in-the-pants rocketfuel-style that I probably didn't need any more for the remainder of my stay. These continental folks and their coffee. Sheesh.
An awesome introduction to Le Touquet town for me. I'll certainly be back for the same ritual next time!
