L'Oxalys

[Jon Tseng]

Evening pop-pickers

A quick report post-Xmas week on the sun-drenched slopes of the Three Valleys. Lots of sun. Fantastic weather. Crap snow. But that's fine as less skiing means more time for dining!

The place I'd like to flag is L'Oxalys (http://www.loxalys.com/loxalys/), a new * this year

L'Oxalys located a bit off the main drag in Val Thorens. Now Val Thorens, an ugly-as-hell purpose built resort more notably for its altitude than its architecture (think Tignes or Les Arcs!) is the last place you'd expect a classy joint, but this was outstanding.

First the chef - Jean Sulpice. He's young - 28 - and looks it. He's a native Savoyarde and has been at L'Oxalys a couple of years. Before that notable for a few years with Marc Veyrat. Other experience includes Adria, Gagnaire, Ducasse in Paris, Pierre Herme (mainly stages I think). The thing that struck me is he cooks with both technical skill and his combinations show a great deal of maturity. Def one to watch.

- First starter was a chestnut soup with parmesan foam, topped with slices of black truffle. Reasonable chestnut taste - one thing I was worried about was that it would just taste of cream. Lovely combination.

- Second starter showed the chef was really serious. Poached oysters with hazelnut puree, brunoise of chicken breast and artichoke lurking in there, bacon-flavour foam on top. This was a top-notch combination where all of the ingredients sang well together. Only criticism - the chicken brunoise was probably unnecessary.

- Main was a pigeon breast en croute, fantastically tender pigeon (I checked with the chef after if there was any sous-vide action going on - no just straight roasting). On the side a sauce flavoured with berries and one of those uber-smooth cauliflower purees. Notable how puree and sauce blended well and complemented the pigeon.

- I also slipped in a winter vegetable tart from the starters just to check how the chef handles his veggies. The tarte came as a precise square of polenta a couple of mm thick topped with perfectly arranged winter veggies - dinky brussel sprouts leaves, turnips, tiny cauliflower florets, this and that. Integrated well with the vinaigrette and the coarse salt on top. Not outstanding, but definitely good.

- Pudding was a deconstructed banana split thing. Mason jar with rum jelly, roast banana, peanut ice-cream and other goodies layered in. Really good.

- Obviously various pre and post-carte doodads. Among them with the pre-deserts was a sensational little creme caramel flavoured with maize topped with a piece of popcorn - in retrospect such an obvious combination - but who knew?

E100 for the lot, plus they comped me a thick slice of the pate en croute they were serving on the du jour menu to take away (they even vac packed it for me).

Along with Abac this was my meal of the year and by far the most impressive haute joint I've found so far in the Alps (OK, not necessarily great competition). Keep an eye on this chef. I'd tip him for at least ** in the next couple of years.

ta

J

PS Note that Trois Vallees is well provided with haute dining options, if you're the sort of person who'd rather kill yourself with a nice thick tranche of foie gras rather than by busting a guy on the piste. *** Chabichou is Courchevel 1850 is recommended. ** Bateau Ivre just opposite is also OK. * Le Farcon in La Tania overreaches itself with some dodgy fusion. There's also a * St Martin way I never made it to.