So far the best meal we/I’ve had was in Hyéres in a strangely medieval restaurant called La Taverne Royale. I have eaten here many times and have always thought that it had amazing food. It has a silly medieval theme and the locals think it’s ridiculous. And I will say, the rusty chastity belt hanging over our table was a little unnerving. But the food was amazing.
Ashish had shrimp, gambas, actually, on semolina with saffron cream sauce served with their dead upper bodies skewered into his meal for his dining and viewing pleasure. After all, it was no worse to look than the freakin’ chastity belt. I could write an enormous discourse on the chastity belt. I’m shocked we have survived as a species.
Loralyn had the, and I’m sorry I cannot recall the exact name of it, but it was something like Symphony of Foie Gras Delices. It was foie gras made to look like dessert items. A foie gras tarte tatin, a foie gras macaron, white chocolate covered foie gras and some other issues and items. I didn’t have that much interest in it because I had my own meal to eat but she loved it. And she is goddam picky.
My meal was foie gras (I know, a lot of foie gras going on here) and scallop lasagna and it was rockin’ awesome.
The place, La Taverne Royale, has a lot of issues, from surly servers, unpleasant maitres d’ and indifferent owners (total pill from Mars), to horrific menu translations. The English menu refers to something as Spillies and Sippets. I have actually laughed out loud reading it. And then there’s the chastity belt on the ceiling. But their food is really fantastic. I’ve never had a bad meal there and in fact at least 3 of my favorite meals of any trip were there. OK, so what if the maitre d’ wouldn’t let Loralyn and me eat there because we wouldn’t sit at the table he wanted us to sit at. Like I said, there are issues. But not with food.
