A quick walk around the tourism office of Cabourg gave us the idea for our next stop in Normandy. We walked down to the grand casino to photograph the blue-and-white beach huts for which this part of France is so famous, and visited the local market to oggle at artisanal apple ciders and Pommeau Normandie.…
I noticed my hand shaking as we drove along the Emerald Coast of Brittany, having just visited Mont-Saint-Michel and the beaches of Normandy right before. We were fast approaching the town of Cancale. Let me begin by admitting that I’ve had the good fortune of enjoying many a great oyster in my life. With a…
In the morning, we climbed the steps of Mont Saint Michel. In the afternoon, we slurped oysters in Cancale. And by nighttime, we had reached Saint Malo, a paradisiacal port city alongside the English Channel in Brittany. Monumental granite walls surround the charming historical center of a city that’s not just about tourism, despite its…
Dinner with the girls. Exploring Bordeaux’s culinary scene. Didn’t take too much convincing me to decide on Jean Pince, a seafood restaurant specializing in the “democratization of lobster,” whose concept and star dish was inspired by none other than good old Luke’s Lobster in Boston’s Back Bay. The four French friends behind Jean Pince dug the…
Faded wooden benches and tables, simply set and decorated with inventive French fare, artfully plated. Boasting a privileged location on a grassy bluff that overlooks the untouched Plage de Cenitz in Guéthary, Restaurant Le C. is a great choice for a long lunch or sunset dinner, ocean-side. Order a frosty bottle of rose to share…
“Elle connaît? Est-ce la première fois qu’elle en mange?” he asked my Frenchman with a half-assed nod in my direction. He wasn’t the best waiter, or even a very good one at all. But I get why he asked. “Oui, elle le connaît très bien,” came Ben’s answer. A lie but a well-placed one. When, on…
I’m about three months overdue on an account of my evening at Le Chien de Pavlov, a jewelry-box-sized, quiet little brasserie specializing in creative French dishes prepared with market-fresh, seasonal ingredients. We caught our 9:00 pm reservation after a beer out on the terrace of Le Trou Duck around the corner, and sat to a…
The counter menu at Belle Campagne demands your full attention. It’s a short selection of just 11 savory options, a cooler and more shareable complement to the full menu served upstairs. But each item on there requires careful consideration. Duck fat frites or frites soaked in meat jus? White asparagus or beetroot? Smoked trout or the catch…
There are many good kebab spots in Bordeaux and Coluche is considered one of the best. The place has been packed each time I’ve passed it, made even more popular by its corner location right on a vibrant plaza. Behind the counter is a simple salad station, two vertical rotisseries and a deep-fryer for French…
On a sunny Saturday, beaux’s friends were in Bordeauxtown for a visit. We were looking for a chill spot for a bit of midday wine drinking and oyster binging, where we could catch up on the past few months and share stories about our new life here. La Capitainerie near Place du Palais fit the bill…
That Best Bite 