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Provence Quartet
Vaison la Romaine – We have lived in this tiny
Provencal village for nearly 20 years, and never has
the choice of pleasant, small family restaurants been
better. This is a land of plenty, with the spicy Rhone
wines leading the pack, and black truffles, fresh cherries,
plump apricots and figs, and all manner of vegetables
following close behind. So putting a simple but great
meal on the table is child’s play.
But up until recently, dining out was pretty much limited
to pizzerias, a few good Asian restaurants, and very
little in the way of chefs who knew what to do with
the bounty before them.
LE GRAND PRE
The newest game in the area is Le Grand Pre, opened
last year by Belgian chef Raoul Reichrath and his Mexican
wife, Flora. The two make a perfect pair of restaurateurs,
with Raoul alone in his spotless kitchen and Flora in
the dining room, sharing her vast wine knowledge and
putting everyone is a good mood with her perky personality.
The two have worked all over the world, from the best
restaurants in Belgium to the King David hotel in Jerusalem
and the Marquis Reforma in Mexico. Now, in the hamlet
of Roaix they have transformed an old farmhouse into
a charming little restaurant with a wine list that will
make most Rhone wine-lovers weep for joy. All the good
names are there – Goubert, St Esteve, Rabasse Charavin,
Beaucastel, Bouissiere, Domaine de la Mordoree, Santa
Duc, and Château Hugues – whether it be white,
red, or rose.
Raoul’s food is sophisticated, but not so much
so that it feels out of place in a small country restaurant.
What I love is that his food does not follow any single
school other than his own imagination, which is vast.
On a recent evening, he wowed us with a trio of starters
– caramelized tomatillo with foie gras; a spoonful
of fennel puree; and a crunchy cheese cookie topped
with a pumpkin seed – and put us in the mood for
sipping a favorite white wine, Domaine de la Mordoree’s
Lirac Reine des Bois, a complex, thinking person’s
wine made with no less than six grape varieties.
The meal began officially with a platter of plump warm
oysters, topped with a green parsley puree and a rich
sea urchin sauce. The main course pigeon – roasted
fabulously rare -- was caramelized with a touch of soy
sauce, giving it a walnut-toned glaze. Cheese comes
from my village cheese shop, Lou Canesteou, run by Josiane
and Christian Deal. Dessert might be as simple as bowlful
of the tangy seasonal strawberry Mara des Bois, showered
with crushed black peppercorns and paired with a soothing
grapefruit ice.
L’OUSTALET
Few wines have the intensity, authority and diversity
as the Rhone valley Gigondas, strong and full bodied
wines that reflect the heady summer sun of Provence.
Lucky for us, this charming village with its cozy shaded
square boasts of the finest spots in the area, L’Oustalet,
where owners Marlies and Johannes Sailer help us feast
on the freshest seasonal ingredients, ranging from simple,
whole tender roasted pigeon to green and white asparagus,
baby artichokes with a zesty fresh tomato sauce, fresh
Mediterranean fish and shellfish, rich local duck and
soothing soups. The desserts are stunning, and might
include a perfect millefeuille filled with the renowned
strawberries from Carpentras or individual cherry clafoutis
paired with a bright cherry sorbet. The Sailers have
transformed a village house into a small and welcoming
restaurant where, in the summer months, tables spill
out onto the shaded terrace where we can watch the sun
set at the end of a long day.
DOMAINE DE LA PONCHE
My most recent neighborhood discovery is the peaceful,
17th-century turreted château set in the middle
of the vineyards of Vacqueyras, a Côtes-du-Rhône
village and appellation known for its peppery, Grenache-based
wines. Domaine de la Ponche serves as a simple and homey
hotel and a fine table d’hotes where there is a
just a single simple but sublime menu each evening.
By reservation, La Ponche also accepts diners who are
not staying in the chateau. Owners Jean-Pierre Onimus,
Ruth Spah and Madeleine Frauenknecht have a flair for
simplicity, both in the kitchen, the garden, and the
wine cellar. Food with clean, clear flavors is served
in the bright dining room and the nicely shaded terrace.
A starter might be as simple as the most perfect, thinly
sliced cucumbers, tossed in a lemony vinaigrette and
heartily seasoned with freshly cracked black pepper.
On one visit, the evening’s special was lamb chops,
delicious, moist and meaty with a pure lamb flavor,
served with a picture perfect, sheer potato gratin.
A huge mound of green beans cooked with Ruth and Madeleine’s
professional flair made an ideal accompaniment. And
you will be a very lucky diner indeed should they decide
to wear their Italian hats that evening, for everything
they do with pasta and rice is purely awesome. Dessert
may be as simple as warm apples, ice cream and almonds.
Jean-Pierre is sure to suggest a local wine that will
turn you into a believer: A favorite of the moment is
the La Fourmone Vacqueyras La Fleurantine, a complex,
floral white from the vineyard just across the road.
DOMAINE SAINT LUC
In 1971 Ludovic and Eliane Cornillon bought a ruin
of an 18th-century farm, rented vineyards, and as soon
as the house was restored, set up a ferme-auberge. They
have just a handful of guest rooms and overnight guests
also get to enjoy the table d’hotes dinner prepared
lovingly by Eliane, one of the best Provencal cooks
I know. Their wine has grown immensely in quality and
quantity, with a wide range of reds and whites made
for drinking today as well as cellaring for tomorrow.
A typical meal here might begin with giant platters
of tender green beans tossed with an avalanche of basil;
a shoulder or lamb paired with onions cooked to a melting
tenderness, and a gratin Provencal made up of potatoes,
onions, tomatoes and a touch of garlic. There is always
a generous platter of cheeses, followed by fruit desserts
paired with simple homemade cookies. And of course Landover’s
assortment of wines, served personally by the winemaker,
who speaks lovingly and he artfully of his craft. You
will always learn something from Ludovic. Guests dine
in the spacious stone dining room of this lovingly restored
farm. (And I have to add that as of the 2001 vintage,
Ludovic is making our own wine from the three hectares
of Grenache, Syrah and Mourvèdre that make up
our very own peppery red Côtes-du-Rhône
Clos Chanteduc.)
Le Grand Pre
route de Vaison (D 975)
Tel: 04 90 46 18 12.
email:legrandpre@walka9.com
fax: 04 90 46 17 84.
Closed June 25 to July 3, January 28 to February
26, Tuesday, Wednesday lunch, and Saturday lunch. Credit
cards: American Express, Visa. A la carte, 29 to 54
euros, including service but not wine.
L’Oustalet, (in the center of Gigondas
)
84190 Gigondas
tel: 04 90 65 83 30
fax: 04 90 65 85 30.
email:
loustalet-gigondas@libertysurf.fr.
Closed November 15 to December 28, Sunday (except
lunch on holidays) and Monday. All major credit cards.
13.50 euro children’s weekday lunch menu, 17 euro
weekday lunch menu, menus at 26, 32, 39, 50, and 60
euros. A la carte, 39 to 60 euros, including service
but not wine.
Domaine de la Ponche
84190 Vacqueyras
Tel: 33(0)4 90 65 85 21
Fax : 33(0)4 90 65 85 23.
email : domaine.laponch@wanadoo.fr
www.hotel-laponche.com
Open for dinner only, by reservation only. Closed
Sunday and Tuesday. Rooms priced from 92 to 191 euros,
depending upon the season. Meals at 33 euros per person,
including service but not wine.
Maison d’Hotes Domain Saint Luc
26790 La Baume de Transit
Tel: 33(0)4 75 98 11 51
Fax: 04 75 98 19
email: domainestluc@wanadoo.com
www.dom-saint-luc.com
Six rooms and two studios with kitchenette, from
64 to 99 euros, including breakfast. Meals 25 euros
per person, plus 10 euros for wine. There is also a
swimming pool on the premises.
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