From Valence to Strasbourg

[Laricasso]

First of all I would like to thank all of you for the great insights provided. My wife and I live in Brazil and go to Europe once every year for 3 weeks, one devoted to skiing and two to wine/gastronomic learning. Last year we explored northern Italy and the information obtained from egullet was essencial for the success of our trip - we are curently preparing our reports on the places we visited and should post them shortly:

- St. Hubertus (Alto Adige)

- La Stua di Michil (Alto Adige)

- La Siriola (Alto Adige)

- Le Calendre (Veneto)

- Osteria da Fiore (Veneto)

- Enoteca Pinchiorri (Toscana)

- Il Cibreo (Toscana)

- Da Caino (Toscana)

- Guido da Costigliole @ Relais San Maurizio (Piemonte)

- Il Centro (Piemonte)

- Combal.0 (Piemonte)

We really do not care that much about michelin stars but rather base our planning on input from people like you. In general, we strive to (i) strike a balance between classic and innovative (but always with a local ingredient focus), (ii) find a great wine selection (value being more important than size of cellar), and (iii) have loads of fun during the experience ( we hate "stiff" service). We achieved this during our last trip, thanks to all the available threads in the Italy board.

Now we're planning our next trip (late feb 05) and would like to check whether you could give us hand. We will arrive in Geneve and drive to Val d' Isere, where we'll spend the week. After that we'll drive to Valence and start the oeno-gastronomic trip all the way to Strasbourg in Alsace. After reading all of the threads on the region, we've already decided we want to visit: La farme de Mon Pere (Veyrat's winter "gig" at Megeve),Troigros, Georges Blanc, Cafe des Federation (bouchon), Jardin des Rempart, Rotisserie du Chambertin, L'Arnsbourg and Buerehiesel.

Although we would welcome any recent updates on the restos described, we are really hoping that we can collect your thoughts on smaller, lesser-known restos, bistrots, bouchons, brasseries or winstuben you might have bumped into during your own journeys to the Rhone-Alps, Burgundy and Alsace.

Thank you very much in advance and let me know if you need any tips about Brazil!

A bien tot!

[John Talbott]

This is from another thread:

Outside of Veyrat (and I haven't been in a couple of years) there are two places around Annecy that I would highly recommend. The first is the Ferme de Lormay (Chez Albert) in Le Grand-Bornand 33 km from Annecy (better known as a skiing destination). It's not in my Michelin but is in my 2003 Gault/Millau as only a 12 but it's very special. The guy (Albert Bonamy) prepares great rustic cuisine with gutsy terrines, well-thought out mains and terrific tartes. The few times we've been there, the cars have all had Paris or local license plates which I think is a good sign. We went for lunch and then hiked around as did most customers (it's at the end of a very long road up a valley (the Bouchet). (You can cut up to Switzerland if you wish to afterwards) It's closed quirky times (May and the first part of June, Sept - mid December, Tuesdays; so check 04.50.02.34.29). If you must stick around Annecy in the evening, the Brasserie St Maurice, 9 rue du college 04.50.51.24.49 is not bad (it's surpring fusion-y cuisine) but not like Pere Bise in its heydays. I would caution you against eating at Ciboulette, it's not up to it's ratings, and L'Atelier Gourmand was not as good the 2nd time as it was the 1st. Despite its awful name, Super Panorama - perched high above Talloires, offers a terrific place to have lunch if it's sunny and the sailboats are out, etc.

This may seem a bit bizarre, but just thru the Mont Blanc tunnel in Courmeyer (Italy) is a place we drive to from Megeve, Courcheval, etc to eat called La Maison de Fillipo (39.01.65.86.97.97). It's the Italian counterpart of the Ferme de Lormay, good, indeed great rustic cooking. It's the sort of place where the sausages, terrines and bread already on the table with some red wine, alone are a meal, but then you're faced with antipasti, and so many courses before you get to the pastas you're flagging. However, somehow you can make it thru the mains and desert and cheese and there's just enough room for a grappa. Our last bill was still way under $100. I'm a bit worried that they now have a website http://www.lamaison.com/ but maybe that's a sign of times not a sign of being over-touristed. We've usually eaten there at night but during the day the "other side" of Mont Blanc is perfect for hiking. It's closed in November and Tuesdays as well as June though, so depending on when you hit it - it may or may not be closed.

[winemike]

In Alsace, a place I highly recommend is in a small town called Gundershoffen, 1/2 h north of Strasbourg.

The restaurant is "Au Cygne", 35 Grand-Rue tel. +33 (0)3 88 72 96 43

1 Michelin star. Have not visited very recently (last 6 months) but got very positive recent feedback from trusted sources.

[pim]

Le Buerehiesel is great. But don't go to Julien, a * in town. I had a blah lunch there a few months back, except the lunch menu was for 70 euro--for that much it had no business being blah.

Antoine Westermann has a shop downtown that sells premade stuff and other food items as well. You can get picnic fares from there and do a nice picnic somewhere.

La Fromagerie de Tonnelier in Strasbourg is great for cheese, with a nice selection of local cheeses.

I heard of a place called La Ferme de Suzette just outside of town, tried to go but they were all booked up. Perhaps you should give them a try. Seems really nice. The French Saveurs did a story of them last year, that's how I heard about them.

[winemike]

Just one thing, in case you're not aware of it : Antoine Westermann makes the best frog legs I've ever had in my life at Le Buerehiesel. I must have had this dish at least 50 times and just can't get tired of it....

[Laricasso]

Thank you Winemike, Pim and John.

These are all great tips.

Has any of you visited the fromageur Bernard Antony at Vieux Ferrete, in the south of Alsace? I heard/read amazing things about his cheeses but do not have a lot of information on how to pay him a visit.

Thanks, again.

[Margaret Pilgrim]

Has any of you visited the fromageur Bernard Antony at Vieux Ferrete, in the south of Alsace? I heard/read amazing things about his cheeses but do not have a lot of information on how to pay him a visit.

Laricasso, I really would like to visit Antony also, but have never worked him into a trip. Try this link which has an e-mail contact at the bottom of the story. Good luck, and please report back if you visit Antony and attend one of his tastings. I am so jealous!

[42390]

In June I spent 4 fabulous days at Auberge du Cheval Blanc, 2 stars in the Red Guide, in Lembach, France, about 40 miles north of Strasbourg. The cooking and service there are both exceptional. In Alsace I have also been to Au Crocodile (2 stars now but 3 for many years), Le Cerf (in Marlenheim, 2 stars), and Auberge du l'Ill (3 stars). I think Cheval Blanc is the best of the lot. Prices are suprisingly reasonable, especially compared to what similarily rated places in Paris charge.

Four nights in the associated hotel, 2 dinners in the gastronomic restaurant, 2 lunches in the gastronomic restaurant and 2 dinners in their more casual restaurant called the Rossel Stube came to a about 950 euros. I highly recommend it.

Here is a link Cheval Blanc