Food philosophy
When I was little, I used to read a comic book called "Astérix" and my favorite character in it was named "Obélix". One of his saying was "Quand l'appétit va, tout va!" (When you're stomach is happy then everything is all right!) After eating at Auberge du Pommier, I could have danced my stomach was so happy. Come to think of it, it was dancing but probably more because I ate too much. There are two different philosophies people can base their lives on. Eat to live or live to eat. Most of the time, people adhere to one or the other, personally I chose both. It is no secret by now that I love to eat, but sometimes I also eat just because it's right in front of me and I'm too lazy to get anything else and well I do need to eat, otherwise I would die (well it makes sense to me). Luckily at Auberge, the food placed in front of me was wonderful, not the best I have ever had (my mother's cooking is still the best) but good enough to make me want to go back, regardless of whether it is winterlicious or full price.
It is rare to walk into a restaurant and feel completely comfortable and at ease. The Auberge du Pommier was very homey and inviting but still retained a classy atmosphere; a place where you can take your children, your business associates, your friends, or your lover(s).
The soup was my favorite part of the meal. I chose Purée of Celeriac and Onion soup with chive Chantilly and Parfumé du truffle. Yes, so that soup was already reviewed, but it does deserve a second mention, and a third for that matter. In case you don't quite know, celeriac is also called turnip rooted celery or knob celery and if you can’t still picture it, it's globular and has a taste similar to celery, sophisticated brownish rounder celery. But the important thing is whether it's good, and it is, so I guess that's all I need to say about it. Now, Chantilly sounds difficult and nose in the air French (I'm allowed to say that since I am French, non-French people should abstain from agreeing with me ) but all it really is, is sweetened whipped cream, it's good but not quite as complicated as it sounds. Parfumé is flavoured, so the soup didn't exactly contain underground fungus (another way of saying truffle) but it did have a hint of the distinctive fragrance in it. All those good things put together made for a wonderful soup, one that I would have again, let's say, right now.
My entrée was Medallions of Venison with braised Savoy cabbage, caramelized chestnuts and cranberry Port wine jus. The meat was melt in the mouth tender and when my sister asked me if it was good, all I could say was it tasted wild. I don't know it the description appeals to you, but it sure did to me. What more could you want when tasting your food then picture it running in the forest happy and...hmmm ok I get your point, it's a little strange and disturbing but think about it, it's also fresh and young and when dipped in the jus bursting with flavours. The thing I wasn't so happy with was the Savoy cabbage. I don't know how to describe the taste, somewhat bitter, a bit mushy yet crunchy and not very tasty. By choice, I would not eat this again but since cabbage had died for me and it was in my plate I had to finish it. So I did. As for the chestnut, I am afraid to say they must have ran away from my plate or were eaten by the deer because no matter how hard I looked, I couldn't find them.
Dessert was Gâteau aux fruit de la Passion moist passion fruit cake with marinated pineapple and crème fraîche sorbet. I think I had a love hate relationship with that one. First I was confused as the cake was NOT fruitcake; it was white cake with fruit on top, it should have been called fruit on cake, or cake with fruit on top but not fruitcake, but eh what do I know. I just know I didn't finish the cake, (that's pretty much unheard of), the love part was the sorbet (that one, I finished and was looking around hoping to find a plate somewhere with some left on it. Do you think I could have returned the cake and asked for more sorbet?) All I can say is; it was wondrous, fresh, cool, and just perfect.
Nothing is perfect in this world, this meal is no exception. But the fact that life is imperfect doesn't change the fact that it's still worth living, the same can be said for this meal and this restaurant. Give it a chance, and then go back for more.
It is rare to walk into a restaurant and feel completely comfortable and at ease. The Auberge du Pommier was very homey and inviting but still retained a classy atmosphere; a place where you can take your children, your business associates, your friends, or your lover(s).
The soup was my favorite part of the meal. I chose Purée of Celeriac and Onion soup with chive Chantilly and Parfumé du truffle. Yes, so that soup was already reviewed, but it does deserve a second mention, and a third for that matter. In case you don't quite know, celeriac is also called turnip rooted celery or knob celery and if you can’t still picture it, it's globular and has a taste similar to celery, sophisticated brownish rounder celery. But the important thing is whether it's good, and it is, so I guess that's all I need to say about it. Now, Chantilly sounds difficult and nose in the air French (I'm allowed to say that since I am French, non-French people should abstain from agreeing with me ) but all it really is, is sweetened whipped cream, it's good but not quite as complicated as it sounds. Parfumé is flavoured, so the soup didn't exactly contain underground fungus (another way of saying truffle) but it did have a hint of the distinctive fragrance in it. All those good things put together made for a wonderful soup, one that I would have again, let's say, right now.
My entrée was Medallions of Venison with braised Savoy cabbage, caramelized chestnuts and cranberry Port wine jus. The meat was melt in the mouth tender and when my sister asked me if it was good, all I could say was it tasted wild. I don't know it the description appeals to you, but it sure did to me. What more could you want when tasting your food then picture it running in the forest happy and...hmmm ok I get your point, it's a little strange and disturbing but think about it, it's also fresh and young and when dipped in the jus bursting with flavours. The thing I wasn't so happy with was the Savoy cabbage. I don't know how to describe the taste, somewhat bitter, a bit mushy yet crunchy and not very tasty. By choice, I would not eat this again but since cabbage had died for me and it was in my plate I had to finish it. So I did. As for the chestnut, I am afraid to say they must have ran away from my plate or were eaten by the deer because no matter how hard I looked, I couldn't find them.
Dessert was Gâteau aux fruit de la Passion moist passion fruit cake with marinated pineapple and crème fraîche sorbet. I think I had a love hate relationship with that one. First I was confused as the cake was NOT fruitcake; it was white cake with fruit on top, it should have been called fruit on cake, or cake with fruit on top but not fruitcake, but eh what do I know. I just know I didn't finish the cake, (that's pretty much unheard of), the love part was the sorbet (that one, I finished and was looking around hoping to find a plate somewhere with some left on it. Do you think I could have returned the cake and asked for more sorbet?) All I can say is; it was wondrous, fresh, cool, and just perfect.
Nothing is perfect in this world, this meal is no exception. But the fact that life is imperfect doesn't change the fact that it's still worth living, the same can be said for this meal and this restaurant. Give it a chance, and then go back for more.
posted by Les Gourmands at 6:46 PM
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