Treating ourselves

Restaurants finally re-opened here just three days before S's birthday in May, and I really wanted to treat him to lunch at the Auberge du Vieux Puits, 3 stars in the Michelin guide and voted best restaurant in the world on TripAdvisor (for what that's worth). But they were closed because chef Gilles Goujon was off helping his sons launch a new restaurant in Béziers. So I booked at Putelat instead. But I also thought, "What the heck, we haven't spent any money on eating out for eight months." So I booked at the Vieux Puits for the first available day, which was today.

We don't come often ... I see the last time was just days before I started blipping in 2012.  And our first visit was in 1996, when he didn't have any stars at all.

It's always an extraordinary experience. The prices have about doubled since last time, which is hardly surprising, but I can honestly say that it's better value for money than the slightly cheaper Putelat. Goujon is so genial and friendly, coming round all the tables twice to chat, and his personality is reflected in all the staff, who while as formally dressed as is required in a 3-star restaurant are also friendly and relaxed.

The food is consistently amazing. Yes there are gimmicks, but they are playful ones. For one course we were given little hammers to crack a tiny sphere of spun sugar from which a wisp of perfumed smoke arose.  His famous oeuf pourri is a soft-boiled egg from which the yolk has magically been extracted and replaced with truffle sauce. Served with an intensely mushroomy sauce and a very generous grating of truffle on top. This is only the second time I've had a dish with enough truffles in it to actually taste them (the first time was chez Goujon as well). Later courses included a tiny pot of the most delicious fricassée of kid, a few spoonfuls of heaven, and an amazing lemon constructed (again) of blown sugar and filled with lemon mousse and sorbet. And as for the cheese trolley, it was a juggernaut of cheese.

Oh! An added gimmick which I've just remembered: every time a plate was placed in front of you, a tiny LED spotlight in the ceiling just above it lit up to illuminate it, and dimmed again when the plate was removed. We wondered if there was a dedicated member of staff doing this.

It was just a lovely experience which lasted from 1:15 pm till after 5. We had taken the precaution of ordering a taxi home ... yes, that was a luxury too, but only added 10% to the cost of the meal :) I honestly would go more often if I could afford it. I think we might not wait nine years till the next time. And we'll also be trying the offspring's place sooner rather than later.

At home, a siesta was definitely required. I woke at 9 pm, quite disoriented, thinking it was morning. S and R had invited us over for a barbecue and football -- we'd already warned them we wouldn't eat anything, but we got up and made it over there. We spent a couple of hours chatting while glancing at the game from time to time. When it went to extra time, we all universally made the decision to go to our respective homes -- that's how compelling it was!