Franco-Italian Dining @ Les Terrasses de Lyon

Perched atop Fourvière Hill, Villa Florentine is a five-star hotel reminiscent of a Mediterranean villa which boasts some of the finest views Lyon has to offer. Though it may be bit hard to reach by foot, the hotel is easily accessible by taxi and is ideally situated between the Basilica of Notre-Dame de Fourvière and the UNESCO heritage district of Vieux Lyon. 

Keeping in line with the hotel's Mediterranean motif, their restaurant Les Terrasses de Lyon serves up Michelin-starred Franco-Italian cuisine within its ornate Florentine interior. I was greeted with smiles and offered an Amuse-Bouche (not pictured) after having placed my order for the five course menu entitled Saveurs à l'Italienne, meaning a Taste of Italy.

The first course consisted of a Velouté with Egg of Quail. This delectable and all-rounded dish, enriched with the yolk of the egg, proved a promising start to the meal. I especially loved the use of chives in the dish which added a hint of freshness, reminiscent of the Mediterranean to which the restaurant draws its inspiration from.

The second course was a Mantecato de gamberoni. The succulent prawn tails were placed on a tomato-scented jelly with shredded prawn meat. The dish was served with a pecorino cromesquis, which left quite an impression on the palette. Together with the tomato purée, the combination of pecorino and tomato made for a quintessentially Italian pairing, and the watercress purée added a lovely element of vigour to the dish.

Our third course was a Risotto Arborio al dente, with shavings of parmesan. The risotto was of an perfect consistency - creamy, yet with much texture to it. The tone of the dish was set by the parmesan, followed by the nuttiness of the beurre noisette which complemented the earthiness of the mushrooms perfectly.

The fourth course to arrive was Slow-roasted Burgundy chicken. The chicken was accompanied with a Conchigli pasta shell stuffed with Italian artichokes, and cuttlefish jus. Rarely do I have chicken so beautifully cooked - moist and succulent, yet firm and cooked through. The pasta stuffed with artichokes proved an appropriate accompaniment, reminiscent of a seashell on an Italian beach.

The dessert course was an Amaretti, topped with edible gold leaf. I always knew that chocolate and orange were flavours that went hand in glove, but the miraculous combination of orange, chocolate and coffee in this dish was something I found difficult to fathom. The dish was very creatively put together, with decadence in every bite.

As I sipped my coffee and gazed upon the lit skyline of Lyon, I indulged in a Petit four selection of decadent yet light Opera cake, a fluffy choux pastry filled with hazelnut cream, a spongy almond cake filled with passionfruit curd, and a chewy chocolate lollipop with almond flakes. My taste-buds remained tantalized even until the very end of my meal.

My experience at les Terrasses de Lyon could have continued should I have opted for an additional course of pan-fried foie gras or roasted scallops. Did I mention the selection of cheeses from their Maître fromager Affineur? However in the state I was in, the waiters would have had to roll me into my room. I simply could eat no more.

'La dolce vita' would be a phrase that I would use to sum up my experience here. At €98, isn't a meal that one would have everyday - but the quality of food and creativity of the chefs were thoroughly impressive, and the service and ambiance was charming. The head chef greets all diners as they leave, and I simply could not pass the opportunity to commend him for a lovely night well spent. 



Address: Les Terrasses de Lyon, Villa Florentine, 25 Montée Saint-Barthélémy, 69005 Lyon, France

Presentation: 8/10

Ambiance: 7/10

Service: 8/10

Overall Taste: 8/10

General Impression: 8/10

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Cheers,

BrianandRepublic