Parranthetique

Last week, we headed out to Gigondas to see the town, taste some wine, and have some dinner.  We had heard that the Perrin family, internationally regarded for making delicious wines in the Rhone valley ranging in both appellation and price point (including the famous Beaucastel vineyard in Chateauneuf-du-Papes, as well as others in Rasteau, Ventoux, and Vacqueyras) had recently opened a restaurant called L’Oustalet, so we wanted to see if it would live up to the excellence of their wines.  

Chef de Cuisine Aurélien Laget left his post at Michelin 2-star restaurant Chez Bru in the Bouches-du-Rhone region to lead the kitchen at L’Oustalet, so it should have been no surprise that he knew his stuff.  The aim of the restaurant (like all of the best restaurants we’ve been to, including many in Vancouver) is to showcase local ingredients as they become seasonally available.  

The concise menu is organized into a couple relatively-reasonable prix-fixe packages (one at 38, another at 49), with all items available a la carte.  We decided to go big and have the ‘carte blanche’ experience; seven courses of the chef’s choosing, with wine pairings.   

Served efficiently by the young Charles Perrin himself, and the decorous older Maitre D’, we were promptly presented with a plate of amuse-bouches, a miniature tasting in itself.  (Pictured first in the slideshow, from closest to farthest: a piece of serrano ham; glass of tomato water; breadsticks with tapenades of olive, aubergine, and tzatziki; and finally, tiny oysters with chives topped with soft bread and mayonnaise.)    

The brightness and subtlety of flavours here alone set a lovely precedent for the skill and playfulness that would characterize the dishes to come. 

Before the official seven-course lineup even began, were were presented with grilled sweetbread with green beans, shallot-creme-fraiche and a crisp artichoke chip.  Our first official course was foie gras with cherry chutney, and was paired with Perrin & Fils own Muscat from Beaume-de-Venise.  Usually served as a dessert wine, we were surprised to find it leading our meal; we were pleasantly surprised how the sweetness and full-body of the muscat complemented the velvety texture and richness of the foie gras.    

Following the foie, we had a poached egg hiding under morel foam soup, with whole morels (!) paired with a subtle, dry ‘08 Cotes du Rhone viognier; then, crispy filet de rouget (fish) with a frothy fish bisque which was paired with Perrin & Fils 2008 white Cotes-du-Rhone; following that, a citrus-y 2009 Cotes-du-Ventoux accompanied perfectly-prepared lobster with ‘quelques truffes’; (casually delivered, “some truffle”; note the generous amount.)  After that came a grilled filet of St. Pierre John Dory with a Gigondas rose.  The fish was fatty and delicate and the rose was dry with delicate acidity, despite the whimsically candied fruit on the nose.  The penultimate course was a lovely chunk of veal with spinach, cream sauce, lardons, soy beans (little mushrooms and pieces of apple hiding within?), and a crispy crouton, paired with our first red, Domaine-Arnaud’s 2000 Cotes-du-Rhone Villages vinsobre.  Our final savoury course was the cheese plate, composed of our own selections from an extensive cheese cart.  Highlights included a tomme from Corsica, a gooey washed-rind Epoisses, and some fresh chevre from up the road.  This was paired with the biggest wine of the night, the Perrin & Fils Cotes-du-Rhone Villages Cairanne.  We were then presented with dessert - poached cherries on a cakey crust with a slab of carmelized sugar and ice cream, paired with a fortified Rasteau.  By this point, it was very dark out on the patio, and the more wine we had, the vaguer the details became of what we were eating.  

Our experience was revelatory - each course was perfectly prepared, the service was elegant and well-paced, and the wine pairings were a dynamic selection of local (and Perrin) offerings.  Where in another context (or chef’s hands), the use of ‘fussy’ techniques (see: varieties of foam) or meticulous presentation might seem showy or excessive, here, they reflected the chef’s strong sense of composition, not only visually, but as far as texture, contrast of flavours, and balance were concerned.  

Perhaps it helped that we went all out and gave ourselves over to the chef, but he and his staff certainly rose to the occasion; we easily count this as one of the most memorable meals we’ve ever had.  Perhaps L’Oustalet will earn its own Michelin star soon enough. 

Wandering the old streets of Pont St. Esprit one evening, we encountered this building under construction.  Seeing us with our camera, the man locking up the site for the weekend waved us over.  Unlocking the door, he invited us to enter.  Inside, behind the orange facade, we found an old theatre under restoration; plaster being chipped away to reveal old frescoes on the walls.  As we gawked, he lit a cigarette and told us the building dated from the 12th century, and was being restored to become a theater once more.

assorted somethings

In the first week of June, we visited our friends Marc and Pauline at their house and vineyards in the Ventoux.  In addition to making delicious organic wines (Le Grand Vallat), Marc has a cherry orchard of about fifty trees.  We picked cherries for a day to help fill orders going to local markets and grocery stores the next day.  (Some cases were even being put on a night train to Paris, to show up in organic markets the next morning.)  In one day, our small crew picked almost half a ton of cherries. 

We have been neglecting our duties here for the past little while. (Reasons including but not limited to: still eating so much and taking too many photos to sift through and now we’ll endeavour once again to catch up with ourselves…)

To that end, we shall prepare for our first trick:

Undoubtedly, you find yourself wondering about a great many things; “What do the vines look like west of the Rhone valley at this time of year?” is surely at the foremost of your thoughts. Please indulge (us, and yourself) and check out a slideshow of the progress we’ve seen in their growth, from our arrival at the end of April, to a photo of how they look today.

Le Chalet Pizza Delice is a shack is located in the parking lot of our local grocery store.  It is run and staffed, apparently, by the family that operates the grocery store.  Certified by the Ecole Francaise de Pizzaiolo, the pizzas found here take their cues from traditional Neapolitan style pies (thin crust with puffy, lightly charred edges, and high quality toppings used modestly) however, the extensive menu offers a number of French classics presented in pizza-form. 

For example, half the menu offers pizzas made with creme fraiche instead of tomato sauce.  Although this touch is not unique to this pizza shack, it seems uniquely French.  We tried the Tartiflette, a pizza with creme fraiche, potatoes, lardons, shredded mozzarella, and reblochon. 

The first pizza we tried was the Quattro Staggioni, or ‘Four Seasons’.  It had slices of jambon cru, olives, artichoke hearts, mushrooms, and oregano.  We were immediate devotees. 

Upon our return, we tried the ‘Orientale’, featuring chunks of merguez and chorizo sausage as well as sweet peppers.  (Not pictured in the slideshow.)  We also tried the Margherita, which was delicious, but not entirely traditional.  (There was no basil present, and the mozzarella used was not fresh; it is the plain cheese pizza pictured.) 

Pictured last is the ‘Maxi’, with tomato sauce, ground beef, red peppers, merguez sausage, and an egg in the middle.  The yolk was slightly runny, and the beef was so tender and flavourful. 

We are well on our way to our free 10th pizza, with so much more of the menu to explore.