Service:
-Unlike so many French restaurants where getting a drink seems to require pulling teeth, I was pleased to immediately be offered an aperitif and bread the moment we sat down. Things did slow down after that, unfortunately, with the first courses taking about 30 minutes, and the mains another 20-25 later. Having said that, I never felt ignored or neglected by the servers who ensured we had bread, water and cutlery at all times, so as a whole, the meal didn't feel too uncomfortably long by France standards.
-Our server, poor thing, was very patient with me as I pretty much asked about every main on the menu before making up my mind. He didn't speak English very well, but he did his absolute best to stumble through the translation for me.
Drink:
-Upon sitting down, our server popped by to offer us a glass of champagne or cocktail. He went with the former (11€), while I opted to try their signature Epicurien cocktail (12€)- a mixture of champagne, pear, orange and apple juices. It was, as expected, quite sweet, but I secretly liked the break away from straight wine.
-Les Epicurien has a relatively extensive wine menu by the glass, which we definitely always appreciate as indecisive folk who like to "try" . They also propose wine pairings for each of the dishes on the menu, which he opted for while I ordered a la carte. For myself that meant a glass of Polly Fume, a very floral easy drinking white wine. For him, a glass of 2012 M. Chapoutier La Civoise and later a 2010 Mas des Capitelles Faugeres Rouge. Both were safe but solid choices.
Food:
-Les Epicurien is considered a "bistronomie" restaurant, meaning a modern interpretation of classic French cuisine.
-At Les Epicurien, you can order a la carte, have the featured pre-fixe for 30 € or the 3 course menu gourmet (with a choice in each course) for 37€. There are also daily specials available in addition to what's featured on the permanent menu.
-After being enticed by some of the a la carte offerings, we simply decided to go that route rather than the various pre-fixes.
Artichoke Salad with Parmesan (12€)
Delicious, fresh and well seasoned, with a pleasant fruity tang from the artichokes.
Ricotta, Spinach and Rice Beignets with Tomato Basil Sauce (15€)
The best dish of the night. The beignets weren't so much like doughnuts as they were little baby samosas with a more delicate crispy shell. The tomato sauce definitely was more creamy than bright but absolutely addictive nonetheless.
Roasted Duck Breast, with Orange Compote, and Stuffed Potatoes with Leeks and Sour Cream (22€)
After a very rare steak the previous night, he thought it would be best that we specify our meat be done medium. I was worried about what would happen as I always trust the chef (which sometimes does fail me), but in the end my instinct was right. Whether it was the language barrier or they simply just really overdid it, our meat came out medium well to well done. Aka. pretty much inedible.
Sliced Beef on Salad with Grilled Vegetables and Parmesan (24€)
Again, this meat was probably even worst, though the salad made for a nice light meal.
Grande Macaron with Whipped Cream and Berries
The good thing that came out of a light main course was more room for a great dessert. This certainly wasn't the best macaron we had on the trip by any means, but there is something special about a crispy macaron with ethereal dreamy whipped cream.
Pear Tarte with Salted Caramel Ice Cream
The bloody best tarte I tasted the entire trip long. The texture was almost like a clafouti but a bit morecakey and a little less custardy. It was blissfully crispy on the outside with a perfectly moist smooth interior. Heaven. read more