47. Lyon - Le Bouchon des Filles

We had our first typical Lyonias meal at Le Bochon des Filles on Friday and went back on Sunday to do it again.

'Next to the charming Place Sathonay, in a small cobbled street, a handful of girls have made a typical picture-postcard bouchon, cute and friendly.  In the kitchen they revisit Lyonais traditional dishes with a light touch - simple, fresh, tasty and generous.'  Or so says the Michelin Guide 2015 which could only have been written by a French man.

Le Bouchon des Filles, or the bouchon of the girls, is known worldwide and it doesn't disappoint.  A bouchon in France is roughly equivalent to a trattoria in Italy and a tavern in Britain. I don't think there is any Australian equivalent.  

This week in Lyon has been the first of our eleven weeks so far, where I haven't had to cook.  So I was looking forward to meals that were 'not pasta', 'not pizza', not on toast', 'not in a bun' and 'not with chips'.  Yes, some people are a pain, I know!

Bouchons originally fed the workers who laboured in the silk factories that made Lyon so prosperous.  Today, Lyon’s bouchons continue to serve cuisine centred on the offal and cooked meats for which Lyon is famous.  The style is home-cooked and down to earth, using common local ingredients, those originally available to working class people, so including lots of vegetables and the cheaper cuts of meat.

The entree is always three plates and always includes traditional Lyonais puy lentils which 'les Filles' offer generously in a scrumptious, herby and creamy but not overly rich mayonnaise. This is a dish I need to master at home for all those vegetarians in my family.

The second entree plate was carpaccio of beef with a generous herb dressing and some well dressed green leaves.  We have had this green herb oil at all of the restaurants we have tried so I assume it is a way of "dressing-up" basic food.

The third component was quenelles of mackerel in herbed, mashed potato with a little paprika.  I had forgotten how good this simple dish can be.

A palate cleanser came next, puree of carrot and ginger topped with creme fraiche, tiny toasted seeds and one fresh pea.  A universal winner - none of these little beauties went back to the kitchen whereas some of the main dishes proved either  "too heavy" or "too much of a challenge" for many we observed.

Paul's main was something that Google translate couldn't quite handle - 'Parmentier d'andouillette, roquette' - mashed potatoes with chitterling sausage and rocket was what it told me.  

It was a bit like a burger, but instead of buns there were two rounds of carefully seasoned mashed potato filled with a fine mince of Lyon tripe sausage.  With lots of rocket.  Google translate couldn't handle the conversion but I discovered it myself at Picard, the frozen food supermarket, where I found a frozen version of the same dish - with an English translation. That's how I know it was tripe sausage.  De - lic - ous!

My main was one of the best dishes I have ever tasted - 'Croustillant de boudin aux pomme' - crunchy filo pastry filled with delicate blood sausage and apple.  Topped with loads of fresh herbs. It was stunning.  Blood sausage is often called black pudding in Australia but this was nothing like the heavy, firm

On our second visit Paul had the blood sausage with apple, and I chose the 'Gateau de foie de volaille, sauce tomate et champignons' - chicken liver cake with tomato sauce and mushrooms.  Sounds awful but it was delicious, light, fluffy and fresh.

Next came the local cheese - a fresh goat cheese, a matured goat cheese which was superb and 'Canut brain' on the spoon which tasted incredible- creamy and herby.

"The silk workers even had their own dish, la cervelle de canut (canut brain!), which was actually curd cheese mixed with garlic and fresh herbs."

A Chateauneuf du Pape from the winery named Elisabeth Chambellan, was liquid gold.  The best wine we have had for the whole trip - so far.

Paul's dessert was the lightest pillow of cheesecake ever, with a crunchy crust and peanut caramel mousse.

I didn't like my desert. It was called 'praline', which is the traditional sugar coated almond  in the bowl of icecream on the right.   The tart in the middle was so sweet I couldn't eat it, and the little glass on the left was a ceamy jelly, the flavour of which was so bland I couldn't identify what it was. It was a take on a traditional dessert but it missed me.

This one, however was sublime.  Chocolate fondant with a warm runny centre, and excellent vanilla sorbet. Yum!  I'm not sure the old silk workers got desserts like this.

We finished with good espresso, hot and strong, with a glass of chartreuse on ice.  

The chartreuse was 55% alcohol and almost knocked my head off.  But it is made from herbs so I am claiming it was very healthy!

46. Lyon - Le Potager des Halles Restaurant

We just happened to ring for a reservation on the evening when the restaurant Le Potager des Halles was hosting a once-off dinner prepared by regular chef Floriant Remont and his former colleague Sonia Ezgulian, who was visiting. Sonia's background was Armenian.

We were lucky enough to run into Sue and Des, a couple from Mt. Gambier who we had met the day before on the Hop-on, Hop-off bus.  It was lovely to have some like-minded folk to chat with.

I was too busy talking to take a photograph of the restaurant, but little is lost.  It was upstairs, hot, poorly ventilated with full white cloths, white china and cutlery that would not lay flat.  You get the idea.  But the chairs were very comfortable and the service was good.

We started with squid stuffed with citrus fruits and a vinaigrette of orange and pepper. At room temperature, it was light and tangy and quite unusual.  Served with a cold, crisp chablis. Unfortunately, that staff were hesitant to actually present the wine.  I don't know why.

Next up was the dish displayed on the front of the menu (above). Sardine and ginger tart with flowers and herbs. It was a disc of pastry with a mound of ginger and basil mouse, perfectly topped with fresh sardines and some tangy herbs. Served with a local white beaujolais.

Continuing the seafood theme, this next dish was quite unique.  It was called 'Shellfish with chard' on the menu, but it was the most perfect braise of creamed celery I have ever tasted.  It may have hard some very pale chard in it, but all I could see was celery and a few chopped pippies in a smooth, light, creamy sauce.  Delicious with a beaujolais from Macon.

The next plate was red mullet with Iranian pistachios, artichoke, buffalo ricotta, beef jus and fresh peas.  Red mullet is a wonderful, flavoursome large flaked fish and this piece was cooked to perfection. Served with a Corsican red that contained 'lots of sun', or so our waitress claimed.  And yes, I forgot to take the photo so I included one of the chef holding what may have been our fish.

And finally the dessert, which was another winner.  Sheets of meringue with fresh raspberries and whipped cream topped with drops of amaretto caramel and tangy little green herbs. It came with a Corsican moscato.

With coffee we were offered a spoonful of chef Sonia's speciality - an Armenian baklava, incredibly sweet and full of pistachios and honey, made in one huge tray.  Impressive, even for someone who cringes at that level of sweetness.

All up, a well presented menu with good wines (although it would heave been helpful if they were prepared to promote their local brands) and excellent company.  

And by the way, Sue and Des recommend this company that offers slightly different, small group tours Back Roads Touring if you are looking to planning something in Europe.

45. Lyon - La Bohème restaurant

Our first eating venture in Lyon, supposedly the grastonomic capital of France, was a tiny hole in the wall restaurant in a narrow street on the path from our apartment to the river Saône.

Called 'La Bohème', it had been operating out of this tiny space for three years and chef Alex seemed happy to describe to an interested tourist, all of the items he had prepared and stored in his narrow, glass-fronted fridge by the entrance door.

So I was won, and we returned to eat here again a few days later.

The tables were in the street.  Four rows that could sit eight people each with red checked tablecloths under orange umbrellas. I later discovered that red check cloths were quite traditional at the old bouchons.

Chef Alex and his front of house, Ben manage up to 32 covers at a time from the tiny kitchen and bar area, which is smaller than my ensuite.  Not bad going!  Though there is  scarcely space for a third person, they have some help three nights per week. 

The menu is on the blackboard which gets propped up on the wall of the school, next door.

Or on the pavement.

The wine list is half a page of affordable French wine, much of it from Burgundy of course! We chose a forgettable grenache syrah blend on our first visit and didn't do any better on our second.

My entree was a 'Confit d'aubergines, mozzarelle fondant et parmesan'.  Sliced eggplant with whipped mozzerella and parmesan in a superb fresh tomato sauce.  Oh, yes!  

Paul's entree was 'Foie gras 'La Bohème' avec confiture d'oignions', or foie gras with onion jam and toast, but he had almost demolished it before I could pass him the camera.

Second time around we were treated to a melt-in-the-mouth piece of beef on mushrooms 'Inglet de boeuf' as an amuse bouche.  Heavenly.

Paul couldn't resist the snails on his second visit, in herb butter with parma ham.

I was treated to a plate of perfect melon with port and a little parma ham on top. And more of that herby vinaigrette.

My first main was 'Pastilla de vollaile aux herbs' or parcel of small birds with herbs. Delicious although I'm not sure exactly what type of small birds I ate.  It came with mushrooms and a roast tomato which were delicious, but I could have forgone the roast potatoes.

Paul had 'Magret du canard, roti' or duck breast, roasted not fried, sitting on mushrooms with a roast tomato and spuds. Excellent green herb sauce across both dishes.

On our second visit I had a rolled shoulder of pork called 'Poitrine de couchon'. 

Paul tried another quenelle, this time 'Quenelle au brochet, a la crevette et morilles' - dumpling of pike with prawns and mushrooms in a creamy sauce.

For our first visit I chose cheese rather than a desert. I can't tell you the type of cheese because that part of the menu is hidden behind the serviette in the first menu photo above.  However, it was a sweet sheep milk cheese that I found too rich and cloying.  Paul loved it and thought it similar to a warmed and stirred camembert without the crust.

Paul stuck with tradition and had creme brûlée which he thought well done.

Second time around, we were treated to a taster plate of five of the deserts on the menu; Soupe de fraises in the tall glass (berry soup), orange and grapefruit fruit salad with passionfruit and lemon sorbet on the left, chocolate fondant with fromage frais, on the right. Out of the picture was fresh apricot crumble which we demolished before I remembered the camera. Yum!

This was great, down-to-earth regional cooking by Alex and Ben and we really enjoyed our two visits.

Here's the website  La Bohéme - Lyon

We toddled home via Place de Terraux with the grand fountain on the left and the Hotel de Ville, front and centre, looking respelendent at night.

44. Lyon - France's third largest city

Lyon is in east central France, a little south of mid-way between Paris and Marseille on the main autoroute to the south.  It is about the same latitude as Milan and is in the Rhone-Alpes region. It is the third largest city in France after Paris and Marseille with 2.2 million people.

The old historical city area is a UNESCO World Heritage site, recognised for its historical silk manufacturing heritage and for more than 2,000 years of ongoing, urban settlement.

The Saône river meets the mighty Rhône in Lyon and the old city is on a peninsula that has the gentle, lady-like Saone on one side and the roaring, business-like Rhone, on the other.  

They join at an area known as the Confluence.

We are staying in the old town centre, very close to the Hotel de Ville, the town hall. 

As is our habit, we hopped on the Hop-on, Hop-off bus to have a good look around. These buses are excellent value - they give a good overview of how the city is laid out and provide access to the most significant sites.

Here is the gentle Saône running through the historical heart of the city.

And here is the swifter, broader, bustling Rhone which enters the Mediterranean via the wildlife rich Carmarge on the west of Marseille, 350km from here.

Broad cycle paths for commuting and fast riding continue for long distances along the Rhone. Pedestrians have separate paths.

Interesting play spaces ....

Water play is always popular.

The Cathedral of St John is situated in a lovely big square in the old city. The Bishop of Lyon presides here.

We decided to take the funicular from the Cathedral of St John at river level, to the basilica on top of the hill.

The Basilica Notre Dame de Fouviere - quite a position, overlooking all of Lyon.

Notre Dame de Fourviere is a minor basilica built with private funds around 1884.  It is situated on a site once occupied by the Roman forum of Trajan and there are other major Roman relics close by, including two amphitheatres.

The basilica is richly decorated, much of it gold, and most in the form of mosaic murals like this one.

This is a mosaic representation of the pilgrimage path of St James to Santiago de Compostela.

There is a 185km Santiago pilgrim path mapped from Lyon to Le Puy-en-Velay. Today’s pilgrims  follow in the footsteps of a couple of local saints – Archbishop Hugues and Jean de Bonnevaux – who made the 3300km round trip to Santiago de Compostela in the 11th century, a potent reminder of what a plucky and devoted lot the early pilgrims were. These days, it’s easy for pilgrims starting westward to find their way out of Lyon on the Chemin de Compostelle en Rhône-Alpes (Rhône-Alpes being the region of which Lyon is the capital). All they have to do is look down at the metal scallop shells embedded in the pavement or look up to make sure the mighty Basilica towering above the city is over their right shoulder. Extract from A Food Lover’s Pilgrimage to France by Dee Nolan.

Wonderful views across Lyon can be had from the laneway next to the Basilica.  That is the Saone in the foreground and the Rhone behind, with the red scoria coloured square of Place Bellecour at centre right.

Lyon is not a high-rise city.  The traditional building height, established in the Renaissance when this was a thriving silk city, is five floors.

Returning to river level by the funicular we enjoyed a beer under the lime trees.  It has been in the high 20s since we arrived and we are finding the afternoons very warm after the shadowy chilliness of Paris.  I spotted a hairdresser just here and Paul and I were both lucky enough to get an 'on the spot haircut' with a skilled stylist.  Very short but OK.

Next stop was the confluence of the two rivers and a look at the new Musée des Confluences.  It is reminiscent of the Guggenheim at Bilbao.

The musée is suited on reclaimed land at the very tip of the peninsula formed by the two rivers and is the southern gateway to Lyon.

Looking out from the decks of the musée across the landscaped park.

Walking further down.........

.....and further still ........

.... until you can actually stand where these two great waterways mix.  Paul had to have a paddle.

For the regular inhabitants, it was just another day at the office.