Not Liberty Island...

This replica of the Statue of Liberty is right outside of Colmar, where Frédéric Bartholdi was born. It's actually in the middle of a traffic circle, and I did a double take as we were going around it, but was still able to take a photo in time. Just not what I expected when traveling along a French road.

Selestat

So what is there to see in Selestat, a town between Strasbourg and Colmar?
Well, there was this churchand that church
There's also the Maison du Pain, a museum on the history of bread. We didn't go into the museum, but I did treat myself to one each of these meringues from their adjoining bakery:Mmmmm.
Selestat is also known for its Humanist Library, but we didn't visit it.
Finally, I love these French warning signs, especially the cat one:(Felin Hargneux, mal nourri means Bad-tempered Cat, malnourished)

Le Buerehiesel

Continuing on with our Formule Jeunes adventure, R & I made reservations at the Buerehiesel, a one-starred restaurant smack dab in the middle of Orangerie Park. This restaurant lost its three stars when the father handed it over to the son, but Eric Westermann was awarded his first star in this year's Michelin guide. We didn't know what to expect, and after the Auberge de l'Ill it was hard not to be disappointed. (though to be fair, after the Auberge what wouldn't disappoint?)

Our amuse bouche was a mousse of foie gras. So I'm not a huge fan of foie gras, but this was ok with me since it was more like a delightfully buttery spread. That I can do, especially when I'm hungry!
Next up was the entree, this half-cooked (purposefully), herbed salmon, encircled with arugula and diced tomatoes. The herbs and slow-roasted tomato vinaigrette were fabulous, fabulous enough for me to stomach the cold salmon (again -- just got unlucky with set menu, but hey, I liked the stuff I normally don't so it all worked out).
Our fish course of steamed mullet topped with raw oysters, in a Riesling sauce, arrived next. OK, so the slimy, salty, oysters didn't go over so well. R liked them fine enough though.
Finally we got to the dish I had been waiting for since we received the menu: roasted lamb with rosemary. Only...I like my lamb medium rare! And the waiter had asked, and we had specified this. But by the time we got it, a few pieces were properly cooked but most were brown through and through. This is how I like my lamb. It seem silly for me to be making such a big deal out of this, but is it so wrong to expect things to be properly cooked in a one-star restaurant?
Enough whining, on to dessert. Souffle and grapefruit sorbet. Simple and sweet.
The Mignardaises are almost always my favorite part of the meal -- aren't things always cuter the smaller they are? (does this meet the rules of cuteness?)Here you see the thin cookies on the right, the mini-madeleines and rose marshmallows in the middle, and the sugar, candied orange, and chocolate truffles to the left. I liked the truffles the best, but I also enjoyed the marshmallows.

So. The verdict? Well... When we walked in we immediately knew that things would be different. The decor is very sparse and basic...but not in a stylish faux-zen way. Dinner might not be the best meal to have here either, since you won't be able to appreciate the surrounding gardens. I'm sure during the day the scenery is amazing, as the main dining room is like a conservatory. The staff was kind enough, but the service was badly coordinated. The wine pairings kept arriving halfway through the matching dish; things felt very rushed (I think our meal took 1h30 -- talk about American-paced!!!); the team of waiters and waitresses and hostess and sommelier didn't seem to click. They just weren't on that night.

I can attribute part of my disappointment to the menu -- none of the dishes were my favorite thing to begin with. But even R, the most adventurous and least picky eater I know, wasn't that impressed. And our underwhelming dishes had nothing to do with the service or the mediocre (R's judgment) wines we were served.

68€ for a four-course wine pairing meal didn't make it a total loss, but if I ever go back it would be to try their set weekday lunch instead (3 courses for 35€ -- and they put their entire week's menu online at the beginning of the week in case you want to pick the day/menu you like best).

In fact, I might do just that. I don't feel comfortable completely writing this restaurant off yet because I love the family story behind it, and the magic of the park setting is undeniable. Anyone else want to chime in?

Restaurant Buerehiesel
www.buerehiesel.fr
4, parc de l’Orangerie
67000 STRASBOURG
tél : (+33) 3 88 45 56 65

Colmar and Le Croissant Dore

I said I would write more about Colmar, so here goes. Colmar is an adorable Alsatian town worthy of at least an afternoon visit if not more. Our afternoon stroll took us through the old town, each storefront more wonderfully Alsatian than the next.
There was also a church,the famous Bretzels of Colmar (that I didn't try), And a door marked from the 15th century
and just beyond the passageway to the right of the 15th century door, the most wonderful cafe, Le Croissant Doré. Don't you love how they wrote their name above the door? It reminds me of those Highlights stories that substituted images for words.

The front pastry case lured in many a passerby,and this tiny cafe was packed when we arrived. I loved this place. Art nouveau decor through and through, this cozy place was filled with friends catching up, families treating their children to an afternoon soda, readers curled with a good book...and on top of that, friendly service from two adorable old ladies! All the faux French cafes or bistros in America strive to have what this place has -- authenticity, a neighborhood feel -- and so if you want the real thing, this is where you need to go.

Le Croissant Doré
28, Rue des Marchands
68000 Colmar
Tel: 03 89 23 70 81

Auberge de l'Ill

To celebrate the coming of Spring, and to take advantage of the Formule Jeunes promotion while it lasts, R and I made reservations at Auberge de l'Ill, which has had its 3 stars since 1967! Quite the Alsatian establishment.

All of the photos might be a little dark because I didn't use a flash.
We were served this cute platter almost immediately, accompanied by champagne. From top to bottom: herbed mini-madeleines, emmental crisps, smoked salmon puffsNext came this emulsion of boudin noir. I hate boudin noir (just the English term -- blood pudding -- makes me cringe), but I loved this and ate every spoonful.
Next up was this gorgeous martini glass full of marinated scallops layered with an asparagus puree and a blood orange gelee:Our waitress encouraged us to mix the layers, and it was delicious even if the blood orange was a bit tart. We also had our pick of the bread basket, and these amazing fresh butters.You can see the logo of the restaurant carved into the butter -- this level of detail was present everywhere, as all the silverware was similarly monogrammed.
After this we had our fish, a bar sauteed to perfection, accompanied by one lonely maki.R's favorite dish came next. This was a work of art. Pigeon and goose liver were tenderly wrapped in cabbage, all inside a fluffy pastry. The pigeon was wonderful, red and meaty, and of course I loved it when it came in such a cute package! Not to mention the gravy...

Finally, the sweet part of the meal, my favorite. I can't remember the order of all the sweets. I think they might have first brought out these cookies while we waited for the full dessert.and these, which were like really crispy mini beignetsThen came the real dessertA shotglassful of cappucino, a scoop of chicory ice cream, and a layered pastry of pear and dark chocolate. The chicory ice cream, pebbled with chewy bits of chicory, was surprisingly yummy.
A huge platter of chocolates to choose from appeared as soon as we had finished the dessert. (yes, I was in heaven, no I wasn't greedy and didn't take one of each). I tried one of the dark rochers, a truffle, and a praline. All were amazing.

One thing that sets this place apart from all others is the service, which you will notice as soon as you enter. Someone to greet you, someone to take your coat, someone to lead you to your table and pull out your chair for you. Even when I got up in the middle of the meal to head to the ladies' room, the waitress precipitated my moves and was behind me to pull out my chair. A new napkin awaited on each return. Still, however vigilant the staff members were, they didn't hover - they, and their touches, were practically invisible, as I guess all hallmark service is.

Each of the dining rooms had their own feeling. The entrance felt Japanese, as you might see in the details of the name; the middle rooms felt like they came out of a Bond movie set from the 70s, with cheesy glass partitioning and shaggy white carpets; and the last room felt like a ski lodge with its roaring fire, deep wood paneled walls, and couches in the back corner. We were seated in this last room, which had a great view of the stream below, with the willow trees and the cobblestone bridge not to far off.

One thing I've left off is the wine pairings that came with each course. Maybe next time I'll remember. Our entire meal, including wine pairings, sparkling water and coffee, was 90€ per person. Quite a steal for such a fabulous experience.

Auberge de l'Ill
http://www.auberge-de-l-ill.com
2 rue de Collonges au Mont d'Or
68970 ILLHAEUSERN
Tél. 03 89 71 89 00
Fax 03 89 71 82 83

Happy Easter!

At the mall in Strasbourg, there were easter bunnies passing out chocolate eggs: I wonder if the French children were confused that there weren't any bells handing out the chocolates.

And at the easter market in Colmar,there were real bunnies! The easter market itself was adorable, with festive goods and decorated trees. Who knew? More on Colmar to come...

L'autre salon de the

Or, the tea salon that could've been.

This tea salon had everything going for it. A plentiful display of every pastry or cake imaginable as you walk in; a menu with pages and pages of different types of teas; cosy interior; chic clientele and waiters that were even more chic. I was ready to compare it to Demmer's in Vienna (the ultimate tea salon) or even Sketch in London.

But then I realized it was too cool for its customers.

After we sat ourselves, cleared our own table, and grabbed our own menus from the stack near the back, it was a good twenty minutes before someone came by to acknowledge us, much less take our order. I was ready to walk out after ten minutes of being ignored, but my boyfriend replied guiltily that we had to stay -- he had to use the facilities.

So stay we did, where we were treated to utterly contemptuous service. My favorite moment was when my boyfriend ordered a cappucino, reading directly off the menu. The waiter replied snidely "we don't do that." Then why is it on the menu? Yes, the tea was fine. But I can't say I enjoyed it. I had to get up to grab my own napkin, sugar and cream from the table in the back. Other customers were equally frustrated. At one point, the manager came through and doused the entire room in what smelled like Chanel No.5. Whether or not you like Chanel No.5 to begin with, it is certainly disgusting when it gets in your mouth, drinks, and on your food. Other diners began to cough, and you could hear people hissing "mais c'est degueulasse." I had been ready to leave for a long time, but after that I was outta there.

As we were leaving, an attractive gay couple came to take our seats. I warned them not to bother, explaining that the service was non-existent, and I was happy that they trusted me enough to walk right out of there. This place could be amazing, but if it continues to treat its customers like shit, there will be none left.

If by chance I went on a particularly "off" day, here's the address for you to try it out.

L'Autre Salon de Thé
45, rue des Tourneurs
31000 Toulouse
05 61 22 11 63
M: Esquirol

tags: grub