FRANCE - LYON - BOUCHON COMPTOIR ABEL BAR

BOUCHON COMPTOIR ABEL BAR

A three-day trip across the border into France took us to the southeastern region, with stays in Lyon and Vienne (located 35 kilometres south of Lyon, on the river Rhône)

Our third and final restaurant on the trip, was a short walk from our hotel, which was next to the main train station of Lyon along the sparkling banks of the river Rhône.

BOUCHON COMPTOIR ABEL BAR

Neither a café or comptoir but a 400-year-old bouchon with an excess of atmosphere.

The restaurant has an historic charm, with well worn wooden floors, wooden beams on the ceiling, wall decorations in a beautiful bar. Chef Alain Vigneron, is the only person still standing behind a stove who knows how to make a quenelle as it was done 76 years ago.

A quenelle is less of a recipe, more, a clever invention, that in Vigneron's preparation, renders a bony, virtually inedible Rhône lake fish, into a creamy soufflé-like poem evocative of sex.

In fact, it's not Vigneron's preparation; he stole it from the grave of Eugenie Brazier, aka Mère Brazier, France's first woman to get three Michelin stars.

We chose the menu Comme Chez la Mére at €35, the dishes are traditional Lyonnais (in large quantities).

We had salade gourmand (gourmet salad) as a starter

Quenelle de brochet en gratin maison

The famous Quenelle de brochet en gratin are huge, the texture of a cloud melting in your mouth. It arrives in a bath of creamy sauce filled with mushrooms, it is perfection.

Rognons de veau sauce Madère (veal kidneys in Madeira sauce)

Tarte aux châtaignes au sorbet de châtaignes (chestnut tart with chestnut sorbet)

To drink, we chose a bottle of Les Jamelles Viognier 2015 at an excellent €21.

followed by 2 cognacs €7 and coffee €2

Service was jovial and helpful.

It is like being in a time machine, back in the days of French film noir. You could expect Bogart or Gerard Depardieu to stroll through the place, instead, there is the most delightful and charming young lady dancing between the tables.