On our recent visit to Le Petit-Pressigny we decided to treat ourselves to a belated Valentines Day celebration at La Promenade. La Promenade is a restaurant about a five minute walk away from our house. This was to be our first visit, and what a treat it turned out to be!
Many people have written about La Promenade and the chef Jacky Dallais, all complimentary and all right. We went with our friends Chris and Sally, who also live in Staffordshire, and have a lovely home near Angles sur l'Anglin.
The meal was a culinary experience from beginning to end. We arrived at 12.45 and left at 5.15 and enjoyed every minute! The ambiance, food and service were all superb. The restaurant was fairly busy; most tables were taken and generally occupied by groups of four to eight diners. We think it is possibly an experience that is good to share with others. Between us we tasted most of what was on offer! I am a typical Libran and find it really hard to choose from a menu, and when the food arrives I usually wish I had ordered something diferent. Tim enjoys just about anything, so is usually happy to swap (I think he likes a quiet life!)
You can see our menu from the photographs, and although it is impossible to convey any impression of the taste, it tasted as good as it looks! I had forgotten to take the camera, but after we had eaten the amuse- bouches, Tim ran home to collect it.
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| We chose the menu Tradition. |
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| Chris with the wine list. |
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| I can't quite describe the taste of this course which was like a rich creamy soup, but it was yummy! |
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| Tim chose St Jacques for his entree. |
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| Sally and I both went for the smoked salmon. |
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| Chris' choice the foie gras de canard. |
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| The fish course was merlu en croute. |
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| Wild boar with a delicious creamed cabbage. |
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| Duck breast. |
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| Cheeses. |
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| The dessert menu from which we ordered four different desserts. |
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| Grapefruit beignet. |
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| Creme caramel. |
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| Apple lasagne with Granny Smith spaghetti. |
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| Profiterole with hot white chocolate sauce - I wasn't quick enough with the camera here, so it melted a bit. |
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| Petits fours. |
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| Jacky Dallais - the man himself! |
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| After our meal - about to roll home! We then went on a long, long walk....... |
I am not sure if I am happy that Tim went to get the camera or not - I am now so hungry after looking it these pictures LOL. Diane
ReplyDeleteThe meal was delicious!
ReplyDeleteStill it's Monday tomorrow (back at work) and time to go on another one - regime!!
The food looks fabulous!!! We've not been yet--it is on our 'places to visit' list so I feel slightly less guilty to having added to yours! :-)
ReplyDeleteThere is something wonderful about French lunches. When I had friends living in Provence Sunday's four hour lunch was the highlight of the week.
ReplyDeleteAntoinette and Mandy,
ReplyDeleteBack in Staffordshire and today's lunch was a bacon sandwich with brown sauce. We certainly know how to live!
Tim is a bit worried; I spent the morning cooking and he washed up, so he reckoned on something good for supper. Tom has just gone back to Lancaster taking all the carefully prepared food with him to share with his housemates!
Perhaps the regime will need to start a day earlier than planned........
@gaynor LOL fried egg and ham sandwich for lunch over here. But do have a boeuf Bourguignon in oven...
ReplyDeleteAh but will all the carefully prepared food arrive intact to share in Lancaster???
Ah, it brings back memories. We only dined once at La Promenade but it was wonderful. How lucky you are to have it on your doorstep.
ReplyDeleteI just remember what seemed like endless little courses - the food never stopped arriving and as for the goodies with the coffee - oh lalalala !!
I agree with Diane.... I am now very, very, very hungry.... Pauline, over in the Laiterie, probably thinks that the earth is moving!
ReplyDeleteHomemade Geline de Touraine soup and fresh bread from the boulangerie at the bottom of the main road in Descartes for us in about half an hour... might start on the bread!
Antoinette - yes the food arrived safely, along with all of his clean dry washing, and will no doubt have been eaten by now. It's a good job he has a car ;-)
ReplyDeleteJean - I doubt we will eat there on a regular basis, just for the odd treat. The 'Bon Coin' across the road is probably more affordable but we haven't tried it yet.
Tim - soup is a staple in our house. Geline de Touraine soup sounds interesting. What's in it?
Basically a chicken soup.
ReplyDeleteThe boilings of the remains of the Geline de Touraine [La Dame Noire] we bought at the Saffron Fayre, two onions, one carrot, some celery top [the older leaves] salt and pepper, some leftover tea [magic ingredient]. Strain off the boilings, remove carrot and onions and chop into chunks, same with celery top... but chop finely [they are the OLD leaves]... remove as much flesh as is left on the bird... [not much as what I could get off by hand is in the fridge for a rissoto]. Chop this and the skin coarsely and add this and all the other chopped ingredients back into the liquor. Season to taste [I added a dash of Worcestershire sauce] and serve. Made four helpings. Altogether Pauline and I have got four main meals and two soup starters.. twelve servings in all... from a 16€ bird.
Woh Gaynor, I feel quite replete after supping with you! Thanks for the photos. Now I've been looking around trying to work out where you actually live, which part of France. Seeing the foie gras, maybe it is the S.W? I'll go and check. You make me want to visit that restaurant when we come over!
ReplyDeleteSo now I know why I have trouble deciding what to try off the menu - I'm a Libran too. I can never decide but most people agree I usually choose the best dish!
Thanks for visiting my Paris blog! I have followed you now.
Denise<3
Pichets in Paris
Tim - thanks for the recipe. It certainly sounds delicious. I'll remember the tip about tea!
ReplyDeleteL'Aussi Denise - welcome to my blog. In France we are based in the Centre region, about 45 minutes south of Tours, not to far from the Chateaux you visited on your previous visit. I'll post about the region as I get to know it more. We have only had a house there for a year, before that we were in the Alps, in the mountains above Lac Leman (Lake Geneva).
However we still have jobs in the UK so only make it out during some holidays.
I teach so have a fairly generous holiday allowance and Tim my husband works mostly from home. With broadband that can be anywhere.
I've viewed a few blogs of Francofile Aussies.
Best wishes
La Promenade is consistently excellent and has been for years. Thankfully it also remains remarkable value. Similar quality can cost nearly twice as much in fancy châteaux hotels.
ReplyDeleteDoes Jacky do takeaway?
Hi Jim,
ReplyDeleteThanks for the tip.
I'll check on the takeaway!!! :o)
I've just found your blog Jim - it will come in very handy as we get to know more about the area ...........
Regards
Gaynor