En-route to a meeting with our top Champagne client, Nicolas Feuillate, a member of the Clementine Communications team took a pit stop at ‘Le Grand Cerf’ on the Route Nationale 51.
The long, pretty, inn-like building is found on the outskirts of Epernay, epicentre of Champagne production, and home to Nicolas Feuillate. Judging by the eight page long list, the restaurant team are fixated with the region’s internationally famed, supremely refreshing, opulent drink. Cheeky, cheesy gougère puffs provide happy distraction while browsing the often very good value tome.
The pretty, comfy, old school dining room has views to a garden lightly blanketed with, towards the end of the year, crimson-coloured, crackly, dried leaves.
We ordered the set (€39) lunch, which started with a little, amuse bouche soup of sweet, frothed pumpkin finished with aromatic, flaked almonds. Moreish, it came as a disappointment to discover the bottom of the bowl was actually the same colour as the soup, meaning the promise of more delivered less!
The starter proper signalled that chef, Dominique Giraudeau has no fear of using as much butter and eggs in cooking as possible. Looking like a cross between an outsize scallop and crème brûlée, seafood soufflé was dressed with sweet onions and rich Champagne sauce. Alongside, fat prawns were tenderly cooked and subtly curried.
To follow, veal onglet was perfectly seasoned, served with braised shallot and celery and a swathe of fragrant black trompette mushrooms mingled with micro diced chives.
Next, perfectly raised cheeses, Reblochon, Maroilles and Comte were served pleasingly accompaniment free to allow full drama of their tasty expressions.
Finally, a generous dessert of gently warmed raspberries were served with generously flavoured, vanilla ice cream: perfect, a match, for Nicolas Feuillate’s rosé NV!
Lunch at this well established, one Michelin star restaurant, featured good ingredients, carefully prepared for great value. It proved to the Clementine Communications team that Le Grand Cerf really ought to be considered a destination rather than a pit stop next time, in fact…
