Every once in a while, you just get lucky.
I was checking out a different restaurant on Maps when I noticed La Distillerie nearby. Menu looked good, if a bit too comprehensive for comfort. I worry that such menus mean that the dishes are being pulled from the freezer. The prices were right, in the sweet spot between bar food and fine dining. Some friends and I decided to give it a go. We were not disappointed. In fact, I have no doubt that La Distillerie in Saint Marcel sur Aude will become part of our regular rotation.
A meat locker displaying beef and duck and lamb and more met us near the front door on arrival. Next to the meat case was a sizeable wood-fired grill. So far, so good. The dining room is high-ceiling and airy. The house cat seemed right at home sitting on one of the tables at the back. Animals are a feature of restaurants in France, if you didn't know. That bothers some people. Not us.
We all ordered from the 27€ dinner menu. Gravlox to start for four of us plus one moules gratinées. And then entrecôte for all.
The gravlox was superb, a good portion well presented. and the dishes were properly chilled. The moules were perhaps a bit cheesy, not what our table mate was accustomed to. But the beef…
We all agreed, perhaps the best steak that we’d had in France. Seriously. Moist and tender, not chewy, and cooked to order. Impeccable, as were the frites. If you show interest, staff will happily describe the home from which the contented cows came.
The desserts were fine, as advertised if a bit anticlimactic. It was the beef the made the evening. Maybe it was a function of our general disappointment with the quality and taste of most beef served in France. The typical steak/frites can be a workout for the jaws. But I don't think so. We all agreed. An honest-to goodness, lip smacking piece of meat.
With two bottles of wine and a small round up to show our appreciation, 40€ per person.
We’ll be back often. I’ll try other menu items too. I'm a sucker for good grilled lamb. Anything close to as good as the entrecôte will be worth the drive.
No comments:
Post a Comment