Chablis. Where and what to eat?
Chablis is a perfect place for a few days trips not only due to the great wines but also fabulous food. I’ve started my culinary trip with Marguerite de Chablis located in the city centre, where we returned several times during our stay for a cup of coffee, glass of wine and great snacks. In this place you will find local and authentic products, wines from Chablis (but not exclusively!), local tapas, terrines, pastry and herb teas. You can enjoy the meal on the terrace in front of the place or take a place along the little canal called “Bief” that leads to the windmill. This is one of the most remarkable places of Chablis.
For me the duck trio took the cake (duck rillettes, foie gras and slices of smoked breast), as well as local cheese selection. Not far behind were traditional gougères small brewed crust puffs with cheese (mostly grated Comté, Emmentaler or Gruyère). These crunchy cheese buns are often served as a cold dish or at room temperature to accompany champagne or wine, but can be served hot as an appetizer. This snack was invented in the XVIII century in a shop called Le ramequin de Bourgogne. Lastly Gougères can be also served sweet with addition of a variety of fruit jams. Another one of my favourites were famous snails “escargotes de Bourgogne”, hot and aromatic, baked with garlic and herbs butter.
Au Fil du Zinc – located at the heart of Chablis next to the canal is a house of Mathieu Sagardoytho and his team. Au Fil du Zinc is a very elegant restaurant, part of Hotel du Vieux Moulin. It is open for lunch and dinner but it is always advised to reserve in advance. The menu consists of appetizer, main dish and dessert for 34 € (lunch price). You can also opt to get the tasting menu for 49 € (five courses, not served on Friday and Saturday) or 64 € for seven courses. Due to rather short stay in Chablis I was not able to reserve dinner, so I have decided to visit for lunch. To start off, to whet our appetites, came amuse-bouche. Out of all the dishes my palate was taken by a storm with poached egg with chanterelles, bacon and spinach served on a toast with baked cheese and mushrooms.
Les Trois Bourgeons – this place is located next to “La roche” boutique. It follows the seasons and local products. Menu partially draws upon the cuisine of Burgundy and partially from the invention and imaginations of the chef Takeshi Otomura originating from Japan. Les Trois Bourgeons interior is less elegant than Au Fil du Zinc, and the atmosphere seems more lenient. The food is seductive with quality of the ingredients, innovative flavour connotations and stunning plating – this is definitely a fine dining restaurant. If you are looking to taste burgundy cuisine we recommend Oeuf Poché Meurette – poached eggs in Meurette sauce. Rumour has it was one of the favourite dishes of Francois Mitterand, who used to have it for breakfast. Maurette sauce was created in the court of Burgundian princes and used to be served with game. Its base is red wine, preferably Burgundy, butter, flour with onion, shallot, garlic, thyme and laurel leaves. Today is one of the staples of Burgundian cuisine and it is used for almost every kind of meat and even eggs. In the card you will also find Boeuf bourguignon, made with beef, red wine, carrots, mushrooms, onion and finely chopped bacon. Although I did not try it myself it looked delicious on neighbours plate. I was left in awe at the dessert – white chocolate fondant with stuffing of hot blueberries and yoghurt ice creams. I simply can’t forget this one even today!
In Chablis you can eat well not only in restaurants. To accompany exquisite wine for dinner you can choose cheese from local producers that you will find in a small shop in the city centre.
