Val de Loire Dining - Merged topics

[Danielle]

We will be in Blois, driving around, from Paris for a few days. We have not been in that region in at least ten years. Can anyone recommend restaurants other than Baret's, which we did not like then and are not willing to try again? Years ago, we ate at Barrier in Tours: it had one or two Michelin stars at the time, and we had the most extraordinary loin of lamb I have ever eaten -- melted like butter under your knife and in your mouth.

At Michelin's website, I found Au Rendez-vous des Pecheurs (1-star. described as "a fisherman's haunt, serving delicious cuisine with an emphasis on fish", predictably!) and Poste (unstarred, but referring to "Careful fashionable cooking"). Also L'Orangerie du Chateau (1-star, "classic cuisine" of which I am not a fan.

We like creative cuisine, we don't even mind little mistakes; traditional French cuisine although a wonderful tradition, is no longer what we travel for.

Basically looking for restaurants around Blois, Tours, Amboise.

Danielle

www.go-journeys.com

[Gavin Convery]

Try Le Choiseul - it has a michelin star and is right below the chateau on the banks of the Loire - the food is excellent and the hotel is very comfortable. Also Domaine de Hauts Loire at Onzain is good rather than exellent within its two-star level.

Forgot to mention Le Choiseul is in Amboise

[stephen wall]

Try Relais De Bracieux-Bernard Robin.Its 2 star in the michelin and about a half hour

from Blois, in Bracieux.Not exactly cutting edge,but exquisetly prepared food,great value wine and fairly good value food for 2star level

[Bux]

We've been thinking about spending a few days in the Loire in the latter part of October and looking at Domaine des Hauts de Loire in Onzain, Grand Hotel du Lion d'Or in Romorantin-Lathenay and Bernard Robin in Bracieux. The last has no rooms. All three have two Michelin stars. Robin is rated 16 by GaultMillau. The other two get a 17. The better the food, the happier I am. I don't need, although I enjoy, cutting edge food, but I'd like a place with at least the chef's stamp and some originality along with expert classic skills in the kitchen. I'd love some game--feathered or furred--and some nice Loire reds, along with some fish and dessert and nice Loire whites with those as well. Almost as important as getting great food, is not paying an arm and a leg for my accomodations. Both of the places that have rooms, seem to have some that are reasonably priced.

Le Choiseul runs a bit more. Gavin--how do you rate an excellent one star vs. a good two star. Can I assume you don't disagree with the overall classifications of Le Choiseul and Hauts de Loire?

Danielle--we haven't been in the Loire for probably more like fifteen years. I have no personal recommendations. Just sharing my own research and joining your thread asking for more information. Actually it's not entirely true that we've not been in the Loire for so long. There is my favorite restaurant that I've not eaten in on the little island of Behuard near Angers--if you're getting that far west. I'd saved a clipping about Les Tonnelles and as luck would have it, we were crossing the Loire at Angers just before lunch. Unfortunately we hadn't thought to reserve for a Sunday lunch and by the time we found the place, it was full of locals. No stars, GM 14, but I'm sure it merits a visit. We don't expect to get that far ourselves. Apparently it is, or was, known for it's selection of dessert wines from the Coteaux du Layon and the surrounding area just south of the Loire at that point.

[Gavin Convery]

Le Choiseul runs a bit more. Gavin--how do you rate an excellent one star vs. a good two star. Can I assume you don't disagree with the overall classifications of Le Choiseul and Hauts de Loire?

A difficult call especially as the time gap between the two experiences was about 5 years. But my overall impression was that I enjoyed Le Choiseul more than Domaine des Haut Loire - note I didn't stay at the latter. The food was more 'cutting edge' at Le Choiseul whereas DHL is more traditional although I went there on a trip that included Michel Bras, L'Aubergade and San Celoni as well as Richard Coutanceau in La Rochelle so I think it suffered slightly in comparison.

Le Choiseul is also a very comfortable hotel with good to excellent breakfasts, a nice pool and gardens and right below Chateau Amboise

[Danielle]

I am already salivating. I had read Michelin and GM before I asked for your take. I don't find either guide entirely satisfying so I needed everyone's personal input. Many many thanks, especially for the personal reactions and the recommended hotels and restaurants.

I especially like the idea of stumbling on "undiscovered" places, at least undiscovered by me. We'll try Le Choiseul, and definitely Les Tonnelles, on your recommendation, Bux. We'll be driving, and distances are reasonable in that area.

We checked out the Hauts de Loire, but no room is available at the end of september (we might try the restaurant, but I am a little afraid of places Michelin refers to as offering "classic" cuisine): our time is a little tight (i.e. no flexibility) because of Paris and London theatre tickets for early october. Life is so tough, I shudder at the thought .

I shall report when we return, mid october.

[Steve Martin]

We have just returned from the Loire. I can heartily recommend Domaine des Hauts de Loire, but definitely not the Grand Hotel du Lion d'Or.

The food was uninteresting and the service poor. They keep all their wines (both white and red) at fridge temperature. We had a red Cotes du Rhone with a dew on the bottle. The sommelier was apologising as he poured it and suggested we wait a while for it to warm up. I doubt it would ever have recovered and I am amazed that Michelin has let this pass.

Our desserts sat on a side table for over ten minutes before the melted remains were set in front of us. I sent the whole issue back and it was left to the poor cowed sommelier to apologise again and arrange replacements.

At the DHL, I was able to tell the waiter that the lamb course was considerably better than that at Michel Bras. He hurried off to tell the chef :-)

I am finding it difficult to write any restaurant reviews after Bra. Who can believe such a certified genius could produce a meal so lacking.

As for the Loire, we found very little attention paid to texture and presentation throughout. The Lion was particularly guilty of this and is one of our most depressing disappointments.

We also found the countryside to be flat, boring farmland and homogenous forestry, with nothing to gladden the eye but the chateaux.

We were also cursed with 'British' weather, but I am sure you will have better luck.

PS. The French chefs have certainly 'discovered' asian spices and are using them in every course. Quite well, actually, and once the novelty wears off, it will lend an extra dimension to the flagging French cuisine.

[Gavin Convery]

Steve,

Enjoyed your website but sad to see you didn't enjoy Michel Bras - I really enjoyed my stay there - will you be posting a review or have you already done so.

Interesting to see you enjoyed Richard Coutanceau - I thought this was a good restaurant also but I can't agree about El Raco con Fabes although the restaurant was charming both my wife and I found the food strangely bland - maybe it was us I don't know......

[Steve Martin]

Gavin.

I haven't written a review on Mickey Brass yet. I was going to send another one to Andy, but I have lost motivation. What is it for really?

Certainly my last review on these boards was ignored save for one man with local knowledge.

I like to help people, but just a summary can do that.

It is nice to entertain, but I'm not sure I do that :-)

Our meal with Santi really did hit some heights. The overall experience was extremely pleasant, but also, some particular dishes had real impact.

I could write a rave review of Franck Putelat, in Carcassonne, perhaps; to get me in the mood.

Cheers.

[WHS]

Any suggestions in the Loire Valley in August?

[menton1]

My favorites in the Indre-et-Loire department, are L'Espérance, in Montrichard, and the Georges Sand, in Loches, with a great patio overlooking the river.

The Loire Valley encompasses 6 departements, though, so I don't know exactly where you will be.

Edited July 22, 2003 by menton1 (log)

[WHS]

Thanks for the suggestions. We are traveling with American friends who are setting the itinerary, so I will pass along your ideas. We're also spending 5 days in Paris at the end of the trip with French friends (fashionistas whose idea of fine dining is Cafe Costes)--any ideas?

[Bux]

If you're traveling around, I would assume you are eating in the inns at which you've booked -- or at least that's how I would plan my trip in the French countryside. We had two wonderful meals last fall in the Loire. Both were in the dining rooms of rather "swell" inns and neither were finds, in the sense that both restaurants had two stars. Lion d'Or in Romorantin, and Domaine des Hauts de Loire near Onzain are both exceptional places. The latter has exceptional grounds which made me regret we were were just staying one night and that our day was dedicated to seeing chateaux. At any rate, both of our meals were head and shoulders better than meals we had at one star restaurants. Both of these places are destination restaurants whose dinners left a greater impression on me than the chateaux and that's not easy as Chenonceau has always been one of my all time favorite buildings. Then again it was the fall and game was in season.

[CyN]

Dont miss the Lion D'or in Romorantin.Marvellous cooking.

[WHS]

Thanks again for all your insights. Why did it take me so long to find this website? I'm in HOG HEAVEN!

(Did I mention I had the pork belly @ WD50? That I belong to the Bacon of the Month Club?)