Page 1 of 1

Dinner @ l'Odeon, Tours, Central Loire.

PostPosted: Tue Apr 23, 2013 11:39 am
by Noel Ermitano
3rd April 2013 at Tours, we had dinner reservations at one of the city's chicer restaurants, l'Odeon, which was a short walk from our hotel. We were immediately shown to our table, the charming young lady manager spoke excellent English. We started off with apéritifs of good Vouvray pétillant (no photo) as we perused the menu.

Image

We placed our orders, and each promptly received the above-depicted amuse bouche trio of Asparagus Cream, Crispy Langoustine, and a Cheese Puff...

Image
...followed by some Langoustine Mousse.

Image
Catha's entrée of Pan-Seared Scallops.

Image
Lorenzo's Crevettes en Brochet (Skewered Shrimps)

Image
Mauro, Joaqi, & I each had l'Assiette de Foie Gras (the Foie Gras Plate): Seared, Terrine, Mousse, and Ravioli stuffed with Foie Gras & Truffle Cream.

Image

With the mostly foie gras first courses, I ordered a bottle of 2010 Bernard Baudry Chinon Blanc La Croix Boisée - From a mere 0.8 hectares of 30 year old chenin blanc vines in the La Croix Boisée climat (planted mainly to cabernet franc). Pretty hard to find/source, apparently. Lovely nose of honeyed cling peach, ripe pear and pineapple, hints of quince, tangerine and lemon curd - all infused with moderate minerality and propped up by refreshing acidity (which also balances out the fruits' ripe-sweetishness). Notable focus and balance. Gets noticeably heftier, rounder, and more viscous as it warms in the glass. Good stuff. Excellent first bottle of chenin blanc in the Loire.

With the assorted renditions of foie gras, the wine was perfect. It was just a bit too ripely-sweetish for my main course of...

Image
...Truite (trout), but, puede na rin & para healthy.

Image
Mauro had the Seared Scallops for his main course. The rest opted out of seafood for their main courses, and, instead, ordered...

Image
...Duck Breast & Foie Gras w/ Bacon (!) for Catha...

Image
...Noisettes of Lamb for Renzo...

Image
...and Tournados Rossini for Joaqi.

For Catha and Lorenzo's main courses, I ordered them a glass each of a Chinon, but I failed to take note of the which the year and producer (likely because I wasn't having any). Catha said she liked it though and it went well with her robust duck dish.

Image
Cheers!

Image
Excellent Cheese Platters before dessert.

Image
Catha's Pear Financier

Image
Mauro's Coffee Ensemble

Image
Lorenzo & I each had the Grand Marnier Soufflé.

Image
Joaqi had the Molten Chocolate Tart (before shot...

Image
...and after shot).

Image
Mignardises of Candied Orange Slices & Mini Crème Brûlées.

Image
A good start to the trip's Loire leg! Salute!

Re: Dinner @ l'Odeon, Tours, Central Loire.

PostPosted: Tue Apr 23, 2013 4:08 pm
by Rahsaan
Looks like a great meal. My mother was always into food so traveling was an exciting time on that front. But it was me who got her into wine in recent years. So my childhood/teenage vacations did not involve these delicious drinks.

Re: Dinner @ l'Odeon, Tours, Central Loire.

PostPosted: Tue Apr 23, 2013 5:58 pm
by David Creighton
wow, my kind of food. i'll be there in late may so......

Re: Dinner @ l'Odeon, Tours, Central Loire.

PostPosted: Wed Apr 24, 2013 6:33 am
by Noel Ermitano
Rahsaan wrote:Looks like a great meal. My mother was always into food so traveling was an exciting time on that front. But it was me who got her into wine in recent years. So my childhood/teenage vacations did not involve these delicious drinks.

Oh, I think you've more than made up for that since then...

David Creighton wrote:wow, my kind of food. i'll be there in late may so......

Check out La Licorne near l'Abbeye de Fontevraud. Love that restaurant.

Best to you both,

N

Re: Dinner @ l'Odeon, Tours, Central Loire.

PostPosted: Wed Apr 24, 2013 8:47 am
by Bob Parsons Alberta
Lovely meal, guess the boys passed on the escargots! :D

Re: Dinner @ l'Odeon, Tours, Central Loire.

PostPosted: Thu Apr 25, 2013 1:20 pm
by Jenise
Catha's duck with foie gras and bacon just blows my mind for decadence. Wow. That molten chocolate "tart" is another mind-bender of the 'how'd they do it' type--looks like a batter was ladeled onto the chocolate and it was baked in the bowl. Very interesting.

Re: Dinner @ l'Odeon, Tours, Central Loire.

PostPosted: Thu Apr 25, 2013 2:19 pm
by Tim York
It's hard to do better in Chinon blanc than B.Baudry's La Croix Boissée; indeed it ranks very high IMO amongst dry Loire Chenin.
He also produces a more simple white Chinon from younger vines which is well worth seeking out; tiny quantities.

Unless it has changed in the few months since I last consulted it, the Baudry website makes no reference to the whites.

Re: Dinner @ l'Odeon, Tours, Central Loire.

PostPosted: Thu Apr 25, 2013 2:40 pm
by Jenise
Tim York wrote:It's hard to do better in Chinon blanc than B.Baudry's La Croix Boissée; indeed it ranks very high IMO amongst dry Loire Chenin.
He also produces a more simple white Chinon from younger vines which is well worth seeking out; tiny quantities.

Unless it has changed in the few months since I last consulted it, the Baudry website makes no reference to the whites.


Interesting. I was unaware that wine existed; but it's not unusual for us Americans to find out that a European producer who we only know for red wines also makes a small quantity of whites that don't get exported.