Best restaurant around Colmar

[42390]

Getting to most any of these without a car is likely to be a challenge. They are located in little hamlets without rail service as I recall. The exception may be le Cerf which is only about 20 miles from Strasbourg.

[winemike]

U.E, I have been back in Alsace recently and just could not keep away from "Le Pont Aux Chats" in rue de la Krutenau in Strasbourg. I've been there several times this year and it just keeps getting better. The food is amazing. Full stop. Definitely at the level of Buerehiesel used to deliver a few years back, IMHO. And I am trying to be objective... really.

Sure, less truffles/caviar/lobster but ingredients of TOP quality and BRILLIANT cooking. Not to be missed.

I wanted to give "Au Crocodile" another shot, too. I was told by trusted source that it got much better recently. On the way back up from the lows they've hit a couple of years ago...

I've heard positive things from "A la table 77", 77 Grand Rue in Strasbourg but could not find out myself (as I said, I return to Le Pont Aux Chats everytime I am in Strasbourg).

Foot and rail does unfortunately limit you in the region where nice restaurants are to be found in the "villages" around (up to 30min) from Strasbourg.

[ulterior epicure]

winemike!

thanks for the advice - pont aux chats is in strasbourg? what are the prices? do they have degustations? if so, how many courses? also, do i need to reserve?

as for travel - i'm considering a go at one of the two in baiersbronn, if i can get last minute reservations - any suggestions... from anyone out there on either schwartzwalstube or bareiss... keep budge friendliness into account.

i would really LOVE to visit cheval blanc, but unfortuately, it's 25 kilometers from the nearest train station

input on le cerf? it seems to be reachable by public transport.

u.e.

Edited November 29, 2005 by ulterior epicure (log)

[winemike]

Prices at Le Pont Aux Chats are very reasonable for the quality.

Starters at less than 15 eur, mains around 30eur. There's no menu but you can ask for half portions if you'd like to try more stuff. If you're going soon, there's an "egg" starter which is mindblowing. I also recommend the mackerel (or lisette) as a starter. There's also always a dish "Hommage to Bernard Loiseau". I had the frog legs last week. Wow...

The wine list is nice, especially on the Alsace section.

You should not need to book ahead unless you're going saturday night. But it's always a good idea to have a booking, though....

Going to Cheval Blanc in Lembach without a car is very difficult, not to say impossible...

[ulterior epicure]

... what do you mean "not to say impossible?" the restaurant said there was no bus, and i don't think it'd be feasible to walk 25 km in this kind of weather...

u.e.

[ulterior epicure]

... what do you mean "not to say impossible?" the restaurant said there was no bus, and i don't think it'd be feasible to walk 25 km in this kind of weather...

u.e.

[ulterior epicure]

... what do you mean "not to say impossible?" the restaurant said there was no bus, and i don't think it'd be feasible to walk 25 km in this kind of weather...

u.e.

[winemike]

... what do you mean "not to say impossible?"  the restaurant said there was no bus, and i don't think it'd be feasible to walk 25 km in this kind of weather...

u.e.

←

I said "very hard" instead of saying "impossible"... just to put the word "impossible" mildy...

You could get a taxi from Wissembourg (no idea how much that's cost) but you'd have to stay overnight there as I doubt that there's a train back that late (after dinner) from Wissembourg to Strasbourg. Unless you go for lunch?...

Or why don't you just rent a car?... it'll be the same cost as train/taxi and will be so much more convenient....

[ulterior epicure]

... yeah, the thing is, all my rail travel is FREE, any idea how much "un velo" for rent might run? If it's less than 50Euros/day, I might as well drive out to L'Arnsbourg!

U.E.

[42390]

If you are going to be renting a car, I got an email from Cheval Blanc advertising a special dinner scheduled for 15 December 2005 for only 90e with the menu shown below.

At this price it would make sense to rent a car. I do not know of any other 2 star anywhere that you can eat like this at such a reasonable price. Wines are included in the 90e price

1er apéritif : Crémant de Chardonnay

2e apéritif : 2004 Pinot gris

Langoustines, St Jacques et huîtres pressées à l’eau de mer, cappuccino d’huîtres

et oursins, émulsion à l’échalote au vinaigre de vin rouge à tartiner sur pain de seigle

2004 Riesling Brandluft

* * * *

Filet de rouget au beurre de citron, vermicelles au citron confit, petite salade amère

2002 Riesling Grand cru Wiebelsberg

* * * *

Médaillon de lotte rôti, poêlée d’encornets aux aromates, jus corsé à l’encre et au Pinot Noir

2003 Pinot Noir « Les Quatre éléments »

* * * *

Cappuccino de homard

2003 Sylvaner « Zotzenberg »

* * * *

Foie chaud aux cèpes poêlés, crème de cèpes au cacao amer et petite salade de cèpes confits

2004 Klevner de Heiligenstein

* * * *

Poitrines de pigeon rôties en croûte de noix, baekeofe de racines oubliées,

les cuisses braisées au marc de Gewurztraminer

2004 Pinot Noir Demi Muid

et

2003 Pinot gris « Rippelholz »

* * * *

Croustillant de chèvre chaud de la Ferme Grammes, chutney de pommes et poires

2003 Muscat VT Grand cru Zotzenberg

* * * *

Douceur aux raisins et au crémant

Crémant extra-brut

* * * *

Gourmandise au Gewurztraminer

2004 Gewurztraminer « Zotzenberg »

A l’issue de cette soirée vous aurez la possibilité de passer la nuit

à Lembach à prix réduit :

HOTEL « AU HEIMBACH » ZIMMERMANN

15, Route de Wissembourg

67510 – LEMBACH

Tél.+33 3 88 94 43 46 - Fax +33 3 88 94 20 85

contact@hotel-au-heimbach.fr

Chambre double : 50 €

* * * *

AUBERGE DU CHEVAL BLANC

4 Route de Wissembourg

67510 – LEMBACH

Tél. +33 3 88 94 41 86 – Fax +33 3 88 94 20 74

E-mail info@au-cheval-blanc.fr

CITRONNELLE Suite junior 111 €

SAFRAN Suite 159 €

LAVANDE Suite 159 €

CANNELLE Chambre 85 €

ANIS Suite 134 €

MARJOLAINE Suite 146 €

[ulterior epicure]

Sigh... must you torture my car-less soul? Thanks for the notice, but I've decided not to rent a car, as it would cost more than my taxi ride out to L'Arnsbourg.... anyway, I'm leaving the area by the 04th Decembre anyway...

Incidentally, I'm toying with the idea of visiting train-friendly Au Cygne. As well, I have reservations at Bareiss and am awaiting Scwartzwalstube (yeah, shot in the dark)... any advice/suggestions?

U.E.

[ulterior epicure]

Since this tread is under the "France" forum, I refer you, many of whom are very familiar with the Alsace/Black Forest culinary landscape, to a new question, more adequately posted on the "Elsewhere in Europe" forum.

Cheers.

U.E.

Edited November 29, 2005 by ulterior epicure (log)

[ulterior epicure]

Just got back from Strasbourg and thanks to all of you for your advice.

I will be posting about my various restaurant experiences - which ranged from astronomically stellar to disastrous...

But, first - I want to send a culinary question shout-out to all you Alsacians out there... It's about these delightful little chocolate-dipped puffs called tetes des negres... They're meringue (or whipped cream?) balls dipped in chocolate... I've posted my inquiry here.

U.E.

Edited December 4, 2005 by ulterior epicure (log)