On our trip to France a few months ago, we spent quite some time cruising around the hills and valleys of Provence. Although we were based out of an appartment in Nice, and had many opportunities to sample tasty coastal treats we hadn’t yet had the chance to be blown away by French gastronomy as the tour guides promise.
All that changed when we took off up tiny, winding, perilous provencal roads to have lunch Chez Bruno in Lorgues.
Bruno, the eccentric proprietor of this fabled restaurant was sitting in the garden when we arrived. He looks like Marlon Brando did during the later part of the first Godfather movie. Although he isn’t initially very welcoming, he definitely takes pleasure in watching all the patrons who’ve driven hours out into the middle of nowhere to eat at his restaurant. What awaits inside Chez Bruno is a remarkably intense culinary experience centered around the truffle, the so called black diamond.
The restaurant has a set 6-course meal at a fixed price. For a premium, you can have your meal prepared with more aromatic “alba” truffles (white truffles), however the actual composition and size of the meal remains the same.
Since we were fairly certain that we wouldn’t have an opportunity to repeat an experience like this for quite some time, we decided to be gauche and photograph every dish almost like a Japanese tourist would. The meal begins with an “amuse-bouche”, a piece of bread covered with thin truffle slices and doused with delicious truffle oil and salt.
Amuse Bouche
Next up is was the entrée: an entire black truffle atop a slice of foie gras, covered in a light pastry in a deep, rich Bourgogne sauce
The Mysterious Truffle-Puff
Truffle-Puff Exposed!
After sampling these two rich and delicious dishes, one musn’t forget that starch is an essential component of a balanced diet and contributor to a healthy lifestyle. To that end, Chez Bruno provides a perfectly healthy baked potato, that they serve in a salty, creamy, tasty cream-butter sauce and top with loads of truffles to make what is perhaps the most awesome and least healthy potato knwon to man.
These aren't yo 'momma's taters
At this point, your heart is still perfectly happy. Although most of your vascular system is backed up, your aorta is still clean as a whistle. That’s all chef Bruno needs to serve up veal and foie gras in a light sauce, covered with, you guessed it, more truffles.
La piece de resistance
In order to get back to reality, one needs to be gently weened off the caloric excesses of the preceding courses. Hence, Bruno offers not one but two desserts. (Well actually, the first is a pre-dessert and the only dish made without truffles!)
Chocolate Cream - The "Pre-Dessert"
The Dessert - Apple Tart, Caramel Ice Cream and Truffle Coulis
There you have it, a meal at Chez Bruno in all of its gory, delicious detail. I feel kind of dirty after posting this here, it’s kissing and telling at best and perhaps even downright pornographic. However, if you do make it to that part of the world, be sure to take a moment and splurge, it’s well worth it.
