Food Travel

What’s for Dinner?

matthew.sidor

July 5, 2022

La Gaudina Luberon, an excellent outdoor dining experience about a mile from our Bonnieux rental, just don’t ask what’s on the menu.

Going out to Dinner in Provence

Eating out in France is taken seriously. At lunch time the highways seem to empty and at about 12:30 the restaurants quickly fill with customers who gather for a leisurely meal lasting 1.5 to 2 hours. There is no rush to finish the meal quickly, wine is usually ordered and enjoyed over two or three courses. An unhealthy anachronism, a cigarette or five, unfortunately is also part of the experience.

At dinner time, restaurant diners start arriving about 7:30, anyone in the restaurant earlier is a tourist. The meal will last at least a few hours. There is no “turn the table over” mentality here, no hurry, the dinner will have multiple courses and will be enjoyed with lots of great wine.

In Provence, the countryside is splendid. If the restaurant has a great view or is near the edge of a field nestled among old oak trees as this one is, it’s time to relax, absorb the ambiance and enjoy every part of a French dining experience.

For us, here in Provence it seems that each dining experience is memorable in some way. This night, everything comes together, the setting, the company, the food, the wine, the weather and the realization you are in one of the most beautiful places on Earth.

La Gaudina Luberon

We dress casually with good walking shoes. The restaurant is a one mile hike from our rental home, we ambled down a lonely road filled with grape vines, onion fields and sunflowers until we came across a dry river bed. We proceeded onward through the uneven rocky path and onto a gravelly road where we came upon an open field with a home at its far corner. Near the back of the home was the pergola-like entrance leading to a beautiful courtyard filled with tables and a fountain.

Entrance to La Gaudina Luberon

A beautiful dinner location in a field in the Luberon.

The courtyard “Bottle Fountain”.

Anna and Alex enjoying a perfect summer’s evening.
Alex is sporting the Riviera Polo Shirt, the essence of James Bond style. Originally tailored for Daniel Craig in Casino Royale, this polo is made from a lightweight cotton mesh that is not only breathable but extremely soft. Cut for a slim fit and finished with matching buttons and a chest pocket.
The shirt exudes European style, the glasses provide a Provençal flair and the pomade is unabashedly insouciant.

The Meal

The menu consisted of 2 options. Option one, 3 courses, 39 Euros. Option two, 4 courses, 49 Euros. “So what’s on the menu?”, I asked the waiter. The waiter doesn’t divulge a thing about the food, he says it will all be a surprise but he does ask if anyone has any food allergies.

The wine list was solid, many affordable selections from across France. We choose a Chenin Blanc from the central Loire valley for about 35 Euros. A steal.

Course #1 – Starter

First Course – Squash blossom filled with local goat cheese, zucchini, shaved truffle and topped with French olive oil. A very flavorful start and an excellent combination of textures.

Course #2 – Seafood

Whitefish on a bed of spelt with raisins, herbs and a clam broth. Another hit. The broth was complex, the fish perfectly cooked and the raisins added a touch of sweetness. (Not to worry! The chef made a substitute broth for Alex who is allergic to clams.)

We’re running low on wine. Time to order another bottle, a solid Chardonnay from Burgundy, about 30 euros. Solid, good fruit with nice minerality. Another steal.

Course #3 – Meat

Sweetbreads – the culinary name for the thymus (throat or neck) and the pancreas of a lamb or calf. Served on a bed of pureed vegetable with asparagus and sweet sauce. My first experience with sweetbreads. Don’t be turned off by the ingredients, this dish was outstanding. Very tender almost creamy meat complemented beautifully by the sweet cherry sauce.

Roasted vegetables over a bed of grass as part of the 3rd course.

Course # 4 – Dessert

A peach topped with ice cream and meringue. A fig in strawberry soup. Crème brûlée. What’s not to like?

Summary

The meal was very good. The weather was perfect. The setting was gorgeous. The prices more than reasonable.

The four of us enjoying dinner in Bonnieux, France……….priceless.