We are always searching for new and interesting places to see and to check out, particularly restaurants, on our frequent trips to Switzerland. Some have not been so great and didn't warrant the detour. However this last trip was a winner!
We had just been to the Vacqueras/Gigondas wine area for lunch and decided we needed to follow up with another wine growing area. So chose the Crozes Hermitage area just north of Valence. Slightly out of our way but not much.
The restaurant chosen was Le Quai in Tain l' Hermitage.
This is a Brasserie run by a Michelin starred chef Michel Chabran and unbelievably it was full... on a Monday. And it seats around 60 persons! Fortunately we had made a reservation.
After we had eaten we understood why it was so popular! The food was excellent....
and also at an excellent price....... if one took the menu of the day.....
And there was also an excellent choice of wine by the glass! Next time we pass though we will definitely find the Cave de Tain which apparently takes 50% of the grapes grown in the area.
Unfortunately we could only have one glass of Crozes Hermitage as we still had several hours to drive. Next time we may stay overnight so that we can check out all the wine negociants around the town. We saw quite a few names we recognized.
Apart from the food the position of the restaurant is superb.
It sits overlooking the Rhone right by a pedestrian/bicycle bridge.
And the vineyards rise steeply on both sides of the river........
For the return trip we visited another Cotes du Rhone area at Uchaux.
Again a very good find and worth the slight detour off the autoroute..... particularly on a 'black' Saturday when half od France seems to be traveling! School holiday/ski week!!
This was called Cote Sud....
We may go back then to be able to sit outside..
We had just been to the Vacqueras/Gigondas wine area for lunch and decided we needed to follow up with another wine growing area. So chose the Crozes Hermitage area just north of Valence. Slightly out of our way but not much.
The restaurant chosen was Le Quai in Tain l' Hermitage.
This is a Brasserie run by a Michelin starred chef Michel Chabran and unbelievably it was full... on a Monday. And it seats around 60 persons! Fortunately we had made a reservation.
After we had eaten we understood why it was so popular! The food was excellent....
and also at an excellent price....... if one took the menu of the day.....
Unfortunately we could only have one glass of Crozes Hermitage as we still had several hours to drive. Next time we may stay overnight so that we can check out all the wine negociants around the town. We saw quite a few names we recognized.
Apart from the food the position of the restaurant is superb.
It sits overlooking the Rhone right by a pedestrian/bicycle bridge.
And the vineyards rise steeply on both sides of the river........
For the return trip we visited another Cotes du Rhone area at Uchaux.
Again a very good find and worth the slight detour off the autoroute..... particularly on a 'black' Saturday when half od France seems to be traveling! School holiday/ski week!!
This was called Cote Sud....
The food was again excellent....
And just in case we were still hungry!!
Again we had the menu.... but not the Menu du jour. This one was 30 euros but we wanted the ravioli stuffed with langoustine...........
It is situated in a wine and lavender growing area and must be beautiful in summer.....We may go back then to be able to sit outside..
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