Bordeaux Cuisine – My Favorites

Dining in France requires a basic understanding of the metric system, if you are a wine drinker. Just remember that 75cl equals 750ml (a full bottle of wine) and everything else should make sense. Also, Vin de pays is typically a local wine that is usually quite good, but you will never see the bottle’s label.

Also, most restaurants have either a daily prix fixe “Menu” or a la carte choices. The daily menu is usually a 3 course meal which you often choose each course from the menu. Entrée (appetizer), Plat (main), and a Dessert. If you eat like French people do, this will be your main meal with charcuterie or something similarly light for dinner.

Of course, if you are cruising on a river, then boat food is included in your cost. But, if you have the free time and are willing to pay for food when it’s otherwise free on the boat, here are some excellent choices while visiting the Bordeaux region.

We began our food adventure on Air France, of all places, while watching programs about food and cooking in France. There was a mention of a seemingly simple sandwich (sandweech) called Jambon et Beurre (ham and butter sounds so much more elegant in French). French ham isn’t cured like American ham, and these sandwiches sold in almost every boulangerie-patisserie are always available for a quick tasty bite. A boulangerie is also an excellent place to find a Panini since they are required by French law to make their own bread.

Bordeaux

It may not be the culinary capital of France, but we found incredible food during the week prior to our cruise.

First on my list is a 2 Michelin-starred Gordon Ramsay restaurant, Le Pressoir d’Argent, in the Intercontinental Hotel across from the opera house. If you cannot afford a room in the hotel, try to at least find the funds (several hundred euros) to eat here if at all possible. This might likely be one of the most expensive (and best) meals you will eat in your lifetime. They also have one of only 5 sterling silver lobster presses in the world.

I have a special place in my heart for Café des Arts where we ate our first dinner in France and which was located within a couple hundred meters of our apartment. They have a lunch and dinner prix-fixe menu and serve their wines in a carafe (not labeled bottles). The food was excellent and our waiter was more than willing to explain a plat item, which was a special cut of beef of which I had never heard, to the newly-arrived American at his table.

There is also an unassuming restaurant, Le Petite Commerce. We had an excellent lunch with decent service. If you like lobster, you will love their fresh caught langoustines which are basically mini-lobsters. There have been recent poor reviews of this restaurant, so you might not experience the same quality as we did. The restaurant is busy and great food takes time. Too many Americans just don’t get that about the restaurant industry. If you don’t have 1-2 hours for a great meal, there are always boulangeries and McDonalds. The French take their lunches very seriously; be a part of that culture. One idiot reviewer complained the white wine was too warm because there was no ice bucket; they should work on their wine knowledge. White wine is too often incorrectly served at refrigerator temperature and/or with an ice bucket, so the nuances of a wine fail to express themselves. Any white wine at about 55-60 degrees is usually perfectly cooled.

A huge surprise in Bordeaux was a café on the Garonne River we found while walking with our luggage to our cruise ship while it rained. Café Ibaia had the best “burger” I have ever eaten. It was a duck burger made from a full duck breast, not ground up. And, of course, a politically incorrect piece of seared foie gras attached to the top with a toothpick.

One place where we looked forward to eating was Baud Et Millet, an all-you-can-eat cheese experience. Unfortunately, the hours posted on Google were incorrect and we were told by some man through the glass front door, that they were closed. I was told about this place by a friend who ate there and insists this place is great. Perhaps one day we will return to Bordeaux, but not for just great cheese. It’s a shame we waited until the day before our cruise to visit this place.

St. Emilion

As I mentioned in another post, part of St. Emilion is built upon a limestone plateau. Restaurant Lard et Bouchon is entered by descending a stairway carved out of the limestone and itself is virtually a limestone grotto with the perfect temperature for storing their large wine collection. Again, a typical 3-course menu lunch is offered and you will be well rewarded by that choice.

Cognac

There was so much to see and do in Cognac while on our AmaWaterways wine cruise, that we were not able to eat in this town except for a quick and perfectly baked Canalé from a local patisserie. However, our guide (Frédéric Borliachon) told us La Courtine was an excellent choice if we could get there. I am passing this information along, because I came to trust his food recommendations after 2 days with him.

Medoc

Chateau Beau Jardin restaurant is part of a restored hotel property that was built in the 1800’s. Again, the prix-fixe lunch of their choice was great and if you are in Medoc at lunch time, I would highly recommend this place. In fact, I would recommend working your day around having lunch here. And, of course, the hotel is also a good choice if you are staying in this area for a couple of days. The wineries of Medoc are world famous for a reason. And the owners of this establishment work in the restaurant and hotel.

THE Supermarket

If you have the ability to cook as we did in our apartment, then I would suggest shopping at a Carrefour grocery store located all over the place. Everyone was helpful and nice and the range of items and the shopping experience is typical of an American grocery except for one huge exception. I did not know you have to weigh your own produce and mark the plastic bag (like buying loose nails and screws). The cashier was very understanding when she found out that we didn’t know our job and very helpful by not making us go back and weigh it. Apparently, they don’t get a lot of Americans in this part of the city (Bordeaux), because she was just a bit surprised when we started talking.

In closing, the food in the Bordeaux region was consistently exceptional and I would always recommend the daily “menu” instead of ordering ala carte.  I cannot wait to visit Lyon (the gastronomical capital of France) in a couple of years to hunt for black truffles and maybe one of us will take a cooking class.