Le Domaine des Thomeaux: Good Brasserie

By JULIETTE ROSSANT Who doesn't like to grab a good meal? Isn't that your benchmark for "Fine Dining": an everyday restaurant where you can always find a good meal? In France, of course, one should expect a good meal anywhere in the country. Still, it's nice to know that you can rely on a small, independent hotel in France to serve you up a good meal -- unlike so many American counterparts, whose hotels serve "safe" food (bland and/or inedible). Take Le Domaine des Thomeaux, a hotel in the Arcantis group of of independant hotels, situated in the Loire valley between the chateaux of Amboise and Chaumont. One might not expect to find a decent hotel just off the main road of little Mosnes, nor a superior brasserie. Yet Philippe Boudin serves classic French dishes -- not to mention a broad array of recipes from around the world. Super Chef ordered standard French and Italian fare: beef carpaccio and melon with ham as first course, followed by faux fillet with potatoes dauphinoise and sauteed vegetables, and tarte tatin, all perfectly tasty and enjoyable. Chef Boudin sneaks international flavors in wherever he can, like an amuse bouche of Indian shrimp pilaf reminiscent of Eric Ripert, served steaming hot in a banana-leaf box. After the second course, he served a shot glass of pureed summer fruit infused with ginger, allspice, and nutmeg -- for sipping through a straw. In addition to French brasserie fare, Chef Boudin offers numerous international dishes, in keeping with the hotel's international theme. Mondays are slow in France, most restaurants are closed, yet this little gem lay right in the courtyard of the hotel -- sure beats the Courtyards in America! Previous articles: Mother's Day: Perry's Todd Gray Champions Mid-Atlantic Cuisine Restaurant Michael Mina Rocks NFL Redskins Meet Chubby's BBQ Challenge Back to Chubby's Columbus Day Special: Chubby's BBQ of Emmitsburg Technorati Tags: superchefblog, Juliette Rossant, super chef, celebrities, chefs, food, restaurants, cooking, branding, cuisine, blogging, food blogging --> back to Super Chef