Good Addresses - July August 2024

Le Gril aux Herbes, Wemmel - Belgium, 21 Chaussée de Bruxelles 

Discover this great Belgian restaurant and chef Evan, particularly attentive to cooking techniques. A very beautiful selection of perfectly cooked products and a fairly extensive wine list with reasonable prices! 

We enjoyed the following dishes, all accompanied by a Chablis Grand Cru from Dauvissat, Les Preuses 2018. 

Label Rouge salmon, olive oil, pepper and Guérande salt

Burgundy poularde, cooking jus, reblochon purée

The Chablis paired perfectly with the dishes! 

A great complexity leaps to the nose, with mineral flint aromas and toasted sensations. On the palate, it is the perfect balance with a lovely tension and an impressive length, all with aromatic concentration. The acidity cuts through the richness of the poularde and the mash, while maintaining its length — di-VINE! 

Pincemin - Restaurant Lafayette Versailles, 8 boulevard du Roi 

Magnificent welcome at Xavier Pincemin's second restaurant in Versailles. 

A former Top Chef contestant, he then opened his restaurant Le Pincemin (Michelin-starred), followed by the restaurant Lafayette to serve world cuisine. 

Few covers in this restaurant with a very pleasant atmosphere: the décor follows no precise theme — movie posters, a large Madagascar stone table, cookbooks, aging cabinets… The chef even comes to chat with us for 10 minutes at the end of the meal, truly welcoming and friendly! 

Here are the dishes we chose:  

Salmon carpaccio, jalapeño, ponzu, lime

Bao, steamed bun, braised beef, spicy Chinese sauce 

Tomahawk Wagyu, tender and flavorful to perfection! 

Mara-misu glacé: fresh mara des bois tiramisu, Sicilian pistachio ice cream 

For the meat course, we opted for a Châteauneuf-du-Pape 2021 by Raymond Usséglio: it is already drinking very well and paired perfectly with our Tomahawk, while retaining its length and power. A lovely table to try. 

L'Oustalet - Gigondas, 5 place Gabrielle Andéol 

Magnificent setting with excellent cuisine, perfect comfort after the effort when returning from a hike in the Dentelles de Montmirail just nearby. 

We went to the bistrot that had room for us, but there is also the restaurant, a few meters from the bistrot, which offers even more refined dishes thanks to chef Thomas Boirel. 

The bistrot, more accessible and just as charming, offers a relaxing and pleasant atmosphere on a shaded terrace bathed in freshness with a southern and soothing décor. This bistrot has found its place in the old bakehouse of Gigondas. A little sibling of the gastronomic establishment, the bistrot offers simple, flavorful and generous regional cuisine in a laid-back spirit. Perfect when we are out hiking… 

We therefore chose the very affordable lunch formula with fresh, well-executed and flavorful products! 

As a starter, sea bass ceviche, leche del tigre sauce 

And as a main course, red tuna and zucchini seared with basil, or smoked thyme beef rib. 

To accompany everything, nothing better than a white Gigondas (the appellation had just been created 2 weeks before this lunch) to go with the starter and the tuna, as well as a red Beaumes de Venise for the beef rib. 

If you come back for dinner, when it is cooler, or if you have not done any sport beforehand, the wine list is very tempting! Many references from the Southern Rhône Valley are waiting to be discovered, at attractive prices! 

Find in particular Clos du Caillou, Gallety, Marcoux, Henri Bonneau and Beaucastel, in vintages that are not necessarily too young. 

Maison Vermer, Saint Malo, 79 boulevard de Rochebonne

Magnificent gastro restaurant in Brittany! 

Refined, crafted, original, full of flavors… The L'Esprit du Dîner menu truly won us over! 

Tomato, stracciatella, kefir tomato extraction, alues

Fennel in texture, mussels from Maison Morisseau, light aïoli

Red mullet in a zucchini robe, pistachio praline, rock jus

Spiced lamb, vegetable millefeuille, reduced meat jus 

Candied strawberry, meringue, strawberry milk sorbet 

An absolute killer! 

2 wines were enjoyed throughout the meal, from the Famille Cazals von Kunssberg: more local produce for these Vins de France crafted in Brittany! 

Les Annexes - Cabernet Franc and Grolleau noir: floral and mineral nose thanks to the Cabernet, indulgent and fruity thanks to the Grolleau! Peony, raspberry, strawberry jam, black pepper and a hint of graphite! Very pleasant. 

Les Longues Vignes, Glaz Blanc 2023: a lovely Breton chardonnay! Notes of orchard fruits, lemon, a touch of indulgence thanks to pastry notes, a beautiful salinity on the palate and an interesting balance between richness and tension. Very lovely! 

The wine list is also veeery interesting! Vin de France, but not only! 

Le Bruit en Cuisine, Albi, 22 rue de la Souque

Albi is brimming with small restaurants — choose wisely: many are worth the detour. 

Beautiful South-West cuisine, comforting and hearty, more enjoyable in the evening when the air is cooler… 

We thus went to the restaurant Le Bruit en Cuisine, offering a magnificent view of the Cathedral. 

No surprise: duck magret and a lovely wine from the Languedoc (Malepère, Château Guilhem), then a cheese plate and a white from Gaillac (Domaine de Brousse)! 

It is a feast for both the eyes and the stomach. 

The days that followed also allowed us to visit other restaurants in Albi: the institution Lou Sicret and its 900-gram Jambonneau, as well as a Brazilian-inspired restaurant serving very refined gastronomic dishes (Amapola). 

Do not hesitate to embark on a food tour in Albi! 

Chez Patacol, Restaurant La Guérinière Noirmoutier 

Located on the island of Noirmoutier, the restaurant Chez Patacole is a gastronomic gem, perfect for enjoying the coastline and a delicious cuisine crafted from local products. A pleasant culinary experience, relaxed and warm atmosphere with delicious seafood and a beautiful wine list: go without hesitation if you are passing through! 

There is therefore a very beautiful menu of seafood, enhanced by sauces and emulsions as well as some original combinations (chocolate éclair and blue cheese) 

Our choice fell on cold oysters with tapioca, brunoise and cucumber foam

For the wine, we also wanted to try something local — a Cabernet Sauvignon from Vendée, L'Orée du Sabia, banc d'essai 2018. It holds up well: 

Cabernet Sauvignon from Vendée — we put the local wine to the test and it holds up well. A young estate, farmed biodynamically, with a craftsman's spirit… Bastien Mousset and his team take great care of the vines to produce quality wines! Worth tasting. 

Auberge de la Chèvrerie, Alsace, Rue des Puits Griesheim-prés-Molsheim

A little trip to Alsace this summer! 

What a pleasure to stop at the Auberge de la Chèvrerie after visiting estates and strolling through lovely Alsatian villages… 

On the menu at this gastronomic restaurant near Obernai: a market menu at €35 for flavorful and very well-crafted dishes (weekday lunch) 

There are also other menus in 3, 5 or 7 acts, at €60, €80 and €110 respectively! 

Attractive prices for a great deal of pleasure! 

A soft-boiled egg starter in its cheese sauce, lamb shank with eggplant and celeriac emulsion, a lovely plate of local cheeses, then a lemon brioche with its light cream and vineyard peach sorbet. Very well done! 

All accompanied by a 2019 Sylvaner from Albert Boxler: a very pleasant nose dotted with citrus, a beautiful minerality and a hint of menthol. Lovely freshness: decant 2 hours ahead to let the wine open up!