Côteaux et Fourchettes, a Wonderful Place to Dine in the Northern Vaucluse

After wandering around Sainte-Cécile-les-Vignes and loading our basket with fruits and vegetables at the "marché" I told you about here, it was time for "déjeuner" (lunch). Seeing table after table piled with ripe fruits and vegetables, olives, sausages, meat and fish, and smelling chicken and pork roasting on spits and big pans of paella redolent of saffron makes you hungry.

So we headed back to Sablet by way of the village of Cairanne to see if we could get seated without a reservation at Côteaux et Fourchettes, a restaurant designated a Bib Gourmand (“Inspectors' Favorites for Good Value") in the 2013 Michelin Guide. Bib Gourmand "Restos" offer a three-course meal (starter, main course and dessert) for €31 or less. But I digress.

Cairanne is a small village in the heart of the Côtes du Rhône wine country about 8 kms northwest of Sablet. The newer part of Cairanne is below the old village on a low hilltop with great views across the landscape of fields and vineyards and tiny villages and the Dentelles de Montmirail in the distance.

Cairanne

Côteaux et Fourchettes restaurant is located south of Cairanne at the roundabout where the D975 and D8 intersect in an area surrounded by a sea of vineyards that stretch across the Plan de Dieu. Côteaux et Fourchettes is both a restaurant and wine store that sells wines on the restaurant's 250 bottle wine list at producer prices. The chef is Cyril Glémot.

Côteaux et Fourchettes Restaurant

We were offered the last table in the cool, understated dining room. Large sliding doors connect to an outside dining area with tables set amongst trees and shrubs.

Côteaux et Fourchettes Dining Room

Chef Glémot offers two fixed-price menus: Côteaux and Fourchette. We chose the three-course Côteaux menu for €31 and a bottle of 2010 Domaine la Soumade Rasteau.

Wine Selection

To warm up our appetites, as if we needed any help, the chef sent out shot glasses of chilled Heart of Beef Tomato Soup with Brousse de Brebis Fromage for amuse bouche.

Chilled Heart of Beef Tomato Soup with Brousse de Brebis Fromage

Shirley eats fish but no seafood, poultry or meat. There were no fish or vegetarian options for starter that day, so the chef prepared an arugula and cherry tomato salad for her.

Arugula Salad with Cherry Tomatoes

It is now illegal to produce or sell foie gras in California so I choose it almost every time I get a chance in Provence. Chef Glémot offered Foie Gras with Pineapple Ginger Marmalade that day as one of the starter options, one of the best preparations I have had in a long time.

Foie Gras with Pineapple Ginger Marmalade

For main course, Shirley chose the Pan-roasted Daurade over Quinoa with Fava Beans and Carrots.

Pan-roasted Daurade over Quinoa with Fava Beans and Carrots

I chose the 1/2 Roasted Pigeon over Sautéed Red Cabbage with Asparagus, Red Pepper and Saffron Clafoutis.

1/2 Roasted Pigeon over Sautéed Red Cabbage with Asparagus, Red Pepper and Saffron Clafoutis

To finish, I chose the Chocolate Mousse in a Tuile with Grillot Sorbet.

Chocolate Mousse in Tuile with Grillot Sorbet

Shirley chose the Plate of Cheese from Josiane Deal with two cheeses made from goats milk, two from sheep's milk and two from cow's milk.

Cheese Plate from Josiane Deal with Duos of Cheese Made From Goat, Sheep and Cows' Milk

If your live or visit the Northern Vaucluse and are looking for a very good place to eat, you should not hesitate to go to Côteaux et Fourchettes.

Côteaux et Fourchettes
Croisement de la Couronçonne
84290 Cairanne
04 90 66 35 99
info@coteauxetfourchettes.com

Bonne journée mes amis et à bientôt.

Côteaux et Fourchettes Restaurant, Cairanne

The restaurants we try for the first time are usually on a list of good restaurants in a publication I respect, highly regarded by the Michelin inspectors, have received high marks in Zagat or more recently on Yelp or the restaurant was recommended by friends. Like most foodies, I hesitate to try restaurants I don't know anything about.

I don't remember how we heard about Côteaux et Fourchettes restaurant but one Monday evening we decided to try it out. Côteaux et Fourchettes restaurant is located just a few kms - miles west of Sablet at Croisement de la Courançonne near Cairanne.

This restaurant and wine cellar was opened in September 2010 by Cyril Glémot, former chef at L’Oustalet restaurant in Gigondas. Côteaux et Fourchettes restaurant is set along the road with vineyards all around with views of the Dentelles de Montmirail.

Wife Shirley and niece Leslie doing their best Vanna White (of Jeopardy fame) impressions in front of Côteaux et Fourchettes restaurant.

The restaurant dining room is simply decorated and opens out onto an outdoor dining area where tables are set under a large trellis and among the trees and shrubs.

After being seated under the shady trellis, we were brought a mise en bouche plate consisting of goat cheese on a tooth pick with tomato confit, some black olives and little savory pastry balls to munch on while we perused the menu options.

We selected a bottle of the 2009 Domaine la Soumade Côtes du Rhône Villages Rasteau to accompany our meal, a wonderful wine we drank in several restaurants during our time in Provence.

After we placed our order, we were brought an amuse bouche of chilled tomato soup with sheep cheese topped with a sprig of chervil.

The view towards the Dentelles de Montmirail from our seats.

A nice touch is the selection of different house baked rolls.

Shirley started with a plate of arugula simply dressed with vinaigrette.

I started with duck foie gras with a delicious fig jam. I rarely have foie gras in the US and in fact in 2012, it will be illegal to produce or sell foie gras in California compliments of the animal rights people who got the law pushed through the California legislature.

Leslie chose the marinated trout stuffed with arugula and tiny dices of carrots, celery and radish for her starter.

Our main courses included a delicious plate of roast squab - pigeon over red cabbage with carrots,

perfectly cooked magret de canard - duck breast over polenta cake and Chinese cabbage,

and pan roasted cod served over pistou for Shirley who does not eat meat.

Leslie ordered the cheese plate consisting of 2 goat cheeses, 2 sheep cheeses and 2 made from cows milk, one from Switzerland.

Desserts were a tasty slice of chocolate apricot cream cake

and a tarte fine of apple and fig with vanilla ice cream.

Chef Glémot is doing very refined cooking using seasonal ingredients. I think prices are reasonable given the high quality of the food and cooking. Our menu Côteaux with cheese was 35 Euros and without the cheese plate was 29 Euros.

If you are in the area, we definitely recommend that you try Côteaux et Fourchettes restaurant. We will return often I am sure.

Côteaux et Fourchettes
Croisement de la Courançonne
84290 Cairanne
Tel: 04 90 66 35 99
info@coteauxetfourchettes.com

Bon appétit mes amis et à bientôt.