My Food Diaries - Lyon's Restaurants

Known as the culinary capital of France, the city of Lyon is strategically placed to receive only the gastronomical best France has to offer. Restaurants are abuzz, offering traditional and not-so-traditional Lyonnaise and French cuisine - therefore much research is required before visiting this city to discern the traditional eateries from the tourist traps. Here were some of my favourite places:

Chez Léon

This establishment located at the iconic Les Halles Paul Bocuse (a review of that to come soon) in the district of Part-Dieu, serves up a wide array of fresh shellfish. Whether you're in it for a Plateau de Fruits de Mer, or for some oysters - you can be assured of a wide selection to chose from and friendly faces to be serving you. They also seem to have a decent selection of complementing wines available.

Allowing my health to take a backseat for the night, I had myself Two-Dozen Oysters with Bread and French Butter. Simple yet absolutely satisfying in itself, if you adore your shellfish like I do. One could arguably get cheaper shellfish elsewhere, but you can rest assured that an establishment's quality and freshness will always remain stellar when located at Les Halles Paul Bocuse.

Address: 102 Cours Lafayette, 69003 Lyon, France

Comme Chez Mathilde

Literally meaning "Like Mathilde's Home", this establishment in the rather touristy UNESCO district of Vieux Lyon is a diamond in the rough - and provides an open invitation for a person to experience unpretentious, pre-Escoffier French food stripped to its bare essentials - and believe me, such stripping is worth lusting over.

The ambiance of the place is truly remarkable - blending in perfectly with the district of Vieux Lyon. It almost reminded me of visiting a grandmother's decades-old house in an old French countryside town. Absolutely no souffles or foie gras here. Instead you will have to make do with some rustic soup, or a French cheese platter.

I had myself an Assiette de Jambon, served with a side salad and some baguette from the self-service station. The waiters took time to explain each variety of meat, with each possessing its own flavour. Comme Chez Mathilde is a great place to experience authentic French charcuterie for a light lunch.

Address: 66 Rue Saint Jean, 69005 Lyon, France

L'atelier du Boulanger

This bakery located outside the metro station in the district of Croix-Rousse seemed to have a reputation that preceded them, judging by the long queue which filled overflowed onto the streets. I was naturally drawn towards the queue, coming out with some viennoiserie and little cakes called 'bouchons'. The pastries were lovely, but the bouchons were mind-blowing!

Having finished whatever I had in hand, I queued in line again - only to end up with 30 of those bouchons to bring back with me - call me crazy, but I don't care. You would do the same too. These bouchons come in a myriad of flavours: from nutella to raspberry, strawberry and salted caramel - and are perfect for munching on as you stroll through the nearby market, or Traboules (alleyways) of this charming district.

Address: 159 Boulevard de la Croix-Rousse, 69004 Lyon, France

Marché alimentaire de la Croix-Rousse 

Nothing touristy remains about this market by the French, for the French. To be frank, if you have no command of basic French, you WILL struggle with basic communication. It is what I'd call an honest market: honest produce, at honest prices, brought to you by honest Frenchmen, who honestly don't speak much English. 

I was fortunate enough to have had some prior experience with conversational French, and so I was able to immerse myself in the sights, smells and sounds. If you are a fan of pork, then you might notice a giant plate with just about everything pork-related. Take your pick, sit down and indulge in finger-licking porky goodness. 

Alternatively, for Muslim visitors who are unable to indulge in pork or those who adore Middle Eastern or North African cuisine, there are many stalls (not pictured) operated by those of Algerian or Moroccan descent offering halal alternatives - such as authentic couscous and tagine stews.

If you love your cheese, look out for this friendly woman who certainly knows her stuff. I simply told her what I was hoping to use the cheeses for, and she instinctively brought out varieties which proved to go amazingly well with the potato gratin and sandwiches I had made upon returning from France.

Address: Boulevard de la Croix-Rousse, 69001 Lyon, France (Closed on Mondays)

Have a look at two of my other posts on Lyon, one of a lovely Michelin-starred restaurant I visited which boasts some of the best views the city of Lyon has to offer, and another about Les Halles de Lyon - and some of what it has to offer.

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Cheers,

BrianandRepublic

India - Day 8

Lunch

Lunchtime was served at Mahabalipuram, Tamil Nadu. This seaside town is famous for its historical temples dating back to 600AD. The above was a picture of me, at the Five Rathas. Being a seaside town, Mahabalipuram is equally known for their seafood, which I had there at a restaurant on Othavadai Street.

My Masala King Prawns worth Rs230 (RM14). The pricing was incredibly reasonable, an with the amount I paid, I got 2 reasonably-sized prawns. The masala was a bit to strong, however, and overpowered the subtle sweetness of the prawns. The prawns themselves were slightly overcooked.


Dinner


Dinner was held at a restaurant named Crimson Chakra. Read all about this amazing restaurant HERE.




BrianandRepublic

India - Day 7

Lunch:

Lunch was held at home, in my grand aunt's house. She had been working on the food since morning, and once again, it was a feast for our stomachs, and for the senses. I ate quite a bit, as I skipped breakfast.

We had Mutton Biryani as our primary dish. There was an abundance of tender meat, which flavoured the rice - which also contained traces of cardamom and clove. Another side dish was the Onion Raita, which balanced all the spices. We also had Diced Celery with Mayonnaise - though not exactly Indian in nature, it added a dimension of sweetness to our meal.

This plate was accompanied with Mutton Chops - tender pieces of mutton, coated and deep-fried with a spicy batter. We also had Sautéed Capsicum with Onions. Once again, not exactly an 'Indian' dish, though the softness of the capsicums contrasted the crispness of the chops.

Tea-time:

We visited a cafe on Rue de la Bussy, called Bakers Street. Read about it HERE.

Snacks:

Snacks were at Risque, at the famous Promenade Hotel, Pondicherry. Read about it HERE.




BrianandRepublic

India - Day 6

Breakfast:

Breakfast was held at some hotel in Thiruvanamalai. This hotel, is popular with the locals who go there after after prayers in their temple. I had a Ghee Dosa with Dhall, Coriander Chutney, Coconut Chutney and Tomato Chutney. In comparison with the breakfast I had at Karaikal on Day 3, this was just as big (though not as salty) and piping hot

Breakfast was accompanied by their Indian Coffee. There is a charm to Indian Coffee that intrigues me. The small cups, the frothy milk, the sweetness of it all; Its wonderful.

Tea:

Teatime was rich in symbolism, as we ate at the childhood home of my grandpa; situated at his village called Athipakam. The house, still owned by distant relatives, is in the middle of nowhere - surrounded by the very groundnut fields my forefathers toiled on. The family living there still continue the tradition. For tea, we had sweet, Floury Balls with Groundnuts inside - food rich in symbolism, as they were the very things my forefathers ate while here.

Dinner:

Dinner was held at the elegant Le Dupleix Hotel, though the elegance proved misleading. Read the review HERE.

BrianandRepublic

India - Day 5

Lunch:

My grand-aunt prepared, once again, a feast for lunch. She had been busy prior, preparing since early morning - and indeed, all the preparation proved worth it. The centre of our feast was the Lemon Rice which she had made. The yellow rice had a nice citrus 'ping' to it, which had livened our taste-buds. The rice also contained the lovely smell of lemons, which I enjoyed.

To the side of my lemon rice, I had Turmeric Flavored Mushrooms. These mushrooms were incredibly succulent and moist, just the way I like them. There were also shards of ginger throughout, which added a bit of spice to the dish itself.

She had also made for us, Chicken 65 which was back by popular demand. The deep-fried chicken was still succulent as ever, flavored with a hint of turmeric and a hint of spiciness from the chili powder. Once again, putting KFC to shame.

And right next to the Chicken 65, I helped myself to some Fried Capsicum with Egg. This dish, though not exactly Indian in nature, did follow the cardinal Indian culinary rule - which is to entice the senses. The sweetness of the capsicum contrasted drastically with the tartness of the rice and the texture of the succulent chicken.

Dinner:

Another grand-aunt of mine treated my family to an incredible feast. Her hospitality was incredible and the food varied with it's different smells, sights and tastes. Dining with her was a pleasant experience, and despite her age - she never allowed me to get off my seat or serve myself.

One of the main dishes was Mint Rice with Cashews. This refreshing dish added an edge to our meal which was truly unique, as mint served as the base flavor to all the other condiments. Furthermore, there were plenty of cashews to go around, and that added a lovely crunch to our meal.

Then, there was a simple Tomato Salad. The dish - essentially made of tomato and coriander - was plain, but beautiful in terms of its simplicity. It was good enough even to be eaten on its own, and there was nothing to complain about this straightforward and simple dish.

There were also Mutton Cutlets which my grand-aunt had made. These cutlets, spiced with a bit of ginger and turmeric, were a bit too spicy for me - though I enjoyed the mutton's texture, flossy yet firm, inside a crisp crust which was fried till golden-brown.

There were also Chappatis which were made for the occasion, as well as Indian Noodles. As to why I would go to India and eat noodles? I don't know. Though these noodles were downright spicy, and I was sweating myself while eating it. This dish is an acquired taste - that is all to be said.

The bright yellow stuff is known as Kaseri. Kaseri is a sweet accompaniment to Indian meals, and is one of my favorite comfort foods. This heard attacking stuff is essentially ghee-laden sugee with raisins and cashews. It tasted something like couscous, though with smaller grains, more moist, dense and sweet.

Lastly, another one of my favorites that night - the Mutton Curry. The mutton was tender beyond words, and the curry was slightly spicy - though it did not overpower some of the natural flavors of the mutton. These flavors are not liked by some, but loved by me - and this dish was fantastic.

We ended off the meal with some Indian Ice-Cream with Seasonal Fruit such as mangoes and bananas. An amazing combination of two quality items - a perfect way to round off the meal, and a lovely way to end the evening which we shared together.

BrianandRepublic

India - Day 4

Breakfast:

Breakfast consisted of my grand-aunt's Ghee Thosai, freshly made and made with love. I had four of these, because they were simply so delicious. The crispness of the thosai, the combination of it with the Onion and Tomato Chutneys and the subtle flavor of the ghee (Indian butter), was out of this world.

Of course, what would breakfast be without the sweet Indian Mangoes and a cup of Coffee? Truly, I ate and drank to my hearts content. Never-mind the fat and all…a breakfast like this comes once in a blue moon.

Lunch:

For lunch, I experienced Pondicherry cafe culture at Le Cafe. Please Read the review HERE.

Dinner:

For dinner, we had dinner at Carte Blanche, a quaint French restaurant in Pondicherry. Please read the review HERE.

BrianandRepublic

My Food Diaries - India, Day 3

Breakfast:

On our way to the pilgrimage site of Vellankani, we stopped at the town of Karaikal to have breakfast at a restaurant named Tasty (I know, very original), located in Hotel Paris (once again, very original) along the Karaikal Main Road.

I had myself a Ghee Dosa, and indeed - it was the largest dosa I have ever had. The dosa (which spanned about the length of my arm) was unfortunately quite salty in comparison to what I'm used to, and lacked ghee (Indian butter).

It was very filling, however, and the servings of Tomato Chutney, Coconut Chutney and Dhall Curry were quite tasty, though they were no match in comparison to the chutney my grand-aunt makes.

My breakfast was also accompanied with some Indian Coffee. The coffee, though a hit with my grandpa, was too weak for me, and to be honest - tasted like sweetened, boiled milk. It was pleasant, though had no hint of coffee whatsoever.

Lunch:

For Lunch, I took my grandparents for Indian food at a restaurant called Caravela. Please read the review HERE.

BrianandRepublic

My Food Diaries - India, Day 2

Breakfast:

For breakfast, I had Appam with Tomato Chutney. The Appam was sweet, soft and fluffy - qualities which are rare with the appams back home. The sweetness of the appam contrasted with the saltiness of the chutney. As for the chutney, the coconut added a depth of flavor whilst the green chillies added much needed spice.

As usual, breakfast here was served with some slices of amazingly sweet Indian Mango, and a glass of Indian Coffee with Fresh Cows-milk. Breakfast of a maharaja yet again.

Lunch:

My grand-aunt prepared a sumptuous feast for the senses. Each dish provided them with different colors, textures and tastes. The Vegetable Biryani was subtle in flavor, yet contained hints of star-anise and coriander.

The Chicken Kurma (not pictured) was filled with chicken slices that literally came off the bone - having been cooked to perfection. The kurma was also subtle in flavor yet enough to complement the rice, rather than overpower it.

We also had Chicken 65 (blurred in the foreground) which contained juicy pieces of chicken, marinated in turmeric and chili powder, deep-fried till crisp and hot. The dish puts KFC to shame.

In the middle, was my portion of Beetroot Salad with onion, boiled egg and sweetened yogurt. The juice of the beetroot gave the dish a nice pink hue which contrasted with the rice and chicken. The dish was very cooling, perfect in the hot Indian weather.

To complement our meal, we had Rassam, a sort of Indian soup, flavored with Tamarind and black pepper. Though it was piping hot, it was incredibly refreshing for me, and I drank quite a bit of it.

BrianandRepublic

My Food Diaries - India, Day 1

Breakfast:

My beloved grand-aunt prepared fresh Idli with a twist. This unusual rendition of the ever-famous Idli was served with Tomato Chutney. The idli flour was sweetened with sugar and topped with chick-peas and desiccated coconut. The combination of idli and chutney saw a perfect marriage of sweet and salty.

My breakfast was complemented with honey-sweet Mangoes and Coffee with Fresh Cow-milk (not pictured). Now I guess, this is the perfect example of the ultimate Indian breakfast.

Lunch:

Upon visiting some distant relatives for lunch, we were served a feast on banana leaves - similar to what you'd get at Nirwana Maju, though a million times better.

The Biryani Rice was was full of flavor, though subtle enough so as to not overpower the other condiments on our leaf. The chicken in the biryani was so tender that it immediately came off the bone.

The Chicken Curry was flavored with cardamom, cloves and star anise. Personally, the amount of spices this dish contained was too much for me to handle, though I pulled through, eating the dish in the hot, open-air dining room.

The Yogurt with Onions was a nice breeze of fresh air, despite the air itself being as still, hot and humid as ever. The yogurt was incredibly fresh and tasted nothing like the yogurt you get at supermarkets. I gobbled much of it down in an instant.

The Pickled Vegetables gave our palates a nice kick. The sweet and sour tamarind based marinade was a great accompaniment to the rice that we had.

At the very top, the Stir Fried Okra with Desiccated Coconut was a dish I had never tried before. The coconut gave the dish much of it's flavor, and the texture of the okra contrasted with much of the other dishes.

This spread was accompanied with some Jackfruit, a Banana and a slice of that honey-sweet Indian Mango. We also were served Mango Juice as we ate (not pictured). Indeed…mangoes galore.

BrianandRepublic