La Cigale

[Tyke]

Has anyone ever eaten here? Totally wonderful. Even if it is a bit over the top in the gold filigree department.

[Miss J]

Nooo...what did you eat that was wonderful? I'm assuming it wasn't the gold filigree.

[Tyke]

As you ask, and this is now seriously testing the memory banks:

12 oysters

Escargot

Supreme Princesse Helene

Creme Brulee

2 Bottles house champagne.

If you are ever in Nantes try it.

[Bux]

Can you describe the Supreme Princesse Helene? Is it a savory course or a dessert? I assume the oysters were very fresh.

[Steve Plotnicki]

La Cigalle is one of the most beautiful brasseries in the world. And it isn't owned by the Flo Group either, Here's a link;

La Cigale

If you flip through the Images section the photo of the Plateau de Fruits de Mer is killer.

[Bux]

La Cigalle is one of the most beautiful brasseries in the world.

I was wondering why someone eating oysters in Nantes would order Champagne rather than Muscadet (not withstanding the fact that many people, inlcuding all the Bretons sitting at my table at a wedding party, seem to hate Muscadet) but the photographs make it all clear. Just as I instantly feel the need to drink vin rosé when I'm sitting outdoors on a warm day, the interior of that brasserie says "order Champagne."

[Tyke]

If you like champagne, why not order it?

The oysters were very fresh indeed.

Supreme Princesse Helene as you ask was my main course choice and consisted of a chicken supreme naped with a white veloute sauce mixed with asparagus puree and garnished with white truffle.

BTW that has not come from memory, but it is a dish I recreated and served once back in Britain.

Oh and Bux, if you read the topic title and description properly you would have seen it is Nantes.

[Bouland]

Has anyone ever eaten here? Totally wonderful. Even if it is a bit over the top in the gold filigree department.

I had a pleasant meal there last October. The art nouveau style of the restaurant is almost more fun then the food.

[Bux]

If you like champagne, why not order it?

There's hardly any reason not to order champagne, except that Nantes is the center of the muscadet region and a popular wine with oysters. However, as I noted, some people never drink muscadet and I suspect others will drink champagne at any time.

Actually if one likes beer why not order it either. That really wasn't my point. Perhaps I could have more accurately stated that muscadet, the local wine of Nantes, would generally be my first choice with oysters even when I'm not in the region, but that the interior of this brasserie seemed to call for champagne. It's an interesting looking place and thanks for bringing it to our attention.

[Tyke]

Can you describe the Supreme Princesse Helene? Is it a savory course or a dessert?

I have just noticed this Bux, and cannot believe you asked. What sort of a dessert is a Supreme pray tell?

[Bux]

Can you describe the Supreme Princesse Helene? Is it a savory course or a dessert?

I have just noticed this Bux, and cannot believe you asked. What sort of a dessert is a Supreme pray tell?

Well if I knew, I wouldn't have had to ask that question. I'm afraid that since the incorporation of clever nouvelle cuisine terminology, one can no longer take classic terms for granted. Surely, it's not really an "unbelievable" question.