October 2025.

This small place was one of four Michelin “bib gourmand” in town and the only one we were able to get to because of timing. Somehow the chef here creates wonderful mouthwatering food with nearly every dish using very little red meat – which I would’ve thought impossible. Some of the best flavours we’ve had on this three-week trip.

This was lunch. The welcome was reserved, host explaining the fixed-menu and a la carte arrangement and quickly moving on although the place was otherwise empty. It’s a neutral decor and a long thin room which filled up over an hour with quiet people, apparently locals.  We like to spend time over lunch like this because often it’s the high point of the day, so we ordered wine first, withholding our decision about the food.

The wines were eclectic, only about four reds, one of which was a tempranillo (I think from the north of Spain) which turned out to be just delicious, a bit acidic and light but balanced in the mouth. Once we tasted it we let him take our order which was a four-course tasting “experience” (shades of Jimi Hendrix) for €47 each.

This started off with beef tongue, aioli, chicory, and gherkin. Right away we knew there was somebody capable in the kitchen, the chicory cooked but firm, the tongue thin-sliced, and a mayo-based sauce mellow and succulent.

Next came celeriac with green herbs, horseradish and “white wheysauce” to which you could add caviar for an extra €18 (we didn’t). Again just wonderful flavour a bit reminiscent of the first course but really way beyond ordinary and a very nice surprise.

Pumpkin risotto was next, also tasty but not on the same level as the previous two. Finally there was a “catch of the day” which we were told was “ling”. I tried to engage the host/server with our proximity to a protected school of lingcod that would sink a ship but clearly he wasn’t interested. The fish was just overcooked but again accompanying jerusalem artichokes and caramelized brussels sprouts were perfect and the  flavours complementary.

Fantastic lunch. For once we were really happy just with the food, no big deal about the room or the service. The short wine list had been carefully chosen (sample size of one) and the price completely reasonable for this great food at around C$200. Locale is a good choice in this town full of centrally-located tourist traps and more out-of-the-way quite nice little restaurants.

Food 9.2, service 7.8, ambience 7.4, value 8.3, peace and quiet 8.0.