A visit that was a year in the making, and it did not disappoint.
TL;DR: Venue and location takes some getting used to as a Brit, but the food and service more than makes up for that. Extraordinary experience.
"BEEF DUCK!" I squealed excitedly, almost losing control of the car, as we drove back to Le Gaff from Bergerac Airport. A car full of Brits burst into laughter about the bold sign on the industrial unit, and a legend was born. We mocked mercilessly, and ruminated about what sort of menu we would find on such a place. Surely, nothing of any note could be provided by somewhere with such a name? After all, here in the UK you will not find any "proper" restaurants with such a moniker. Such things are reserved for cafes and artisanal food trucks where tongue-in-cheek is par for the course. It would be fair to assume that our expectations were at rock bottom.
An hour or so later we arrive back at the farm, and before we even had time to turn on the coffee machine two of us had already fired up Google and we were on the hunt for the menu. We expected the mundane or the ridiculous...and what we discovered was something quite the opposite. The website is not the most technologically advanced in the world, but the reality today is that that applies to almost all catering websites I've ever viewed. Restaurants seem to expect their food and service to do the talking, and frankly this can be risky in a world of seasoned and experienced internet viewers who can spot a cheap website from a mile away. Ever been tempted by a place recommended by a friend and then you've looked them up online and been hesitant to visit after viewing their online presence? Yeah, this is that.
The à la carte we were presented with on the website is packed full of pure French classics, and I was immediately enamoured. Of all the glorious things I experienced on that trip to the Dordogne, this is the one thing I couldn't stop raving about when I got back to Blighty. Sorry to all my friends that had to put up with it.
If you just sighed when I mentioned the classics because "there's no innovation when you're too focused on the past" you need to crawl back in your cave and keep your mouth shut. Innovation has a place in this world, of course. As does traditional fare; and there aren't many cuisines on this little rock of ours that can compete with the French for just getting it right every time. French food is the bedrock from which nearly all modern Western food is built on.
Skip forward 15 months give or take, and the opportunity finally presented itself. We needed to drop someone off at the airport and their check-in time happily coincided with the end of lunch. That was all we needed, and the decision was quickly made. I can't lie, I became giddy with excitement. Those same friends who dealt with my excitement a year earlier now got a barrage of messages about it again. Only this time, they were all at work and some got really quite mad. Oops. Sorry, not sorry.
The three of us arrived around midday on a cloudy Spring day with the usual accompanying constant state of drizzle. All of us in attendance have varying levels of French speaking, and unsurprisingly, the staff picked up on this almost immediately. All the staff we spoke with were welcoming, helpful, knowledgeable and distant-yet-attentive; all the things you expect from a well versed, well refined operation. "Waiter" is not a dirty word in France, there is pride in the delivery of food and exceptional service.
It took me far longer than I'm prepared to admit to decide what I wanted to eat. I don't do so well with making decisions at the best of times, and this was one of the biggest decisions I've ever had to make on my own. 15 months of anticipation was behind this, and I was terrified of making a bad decision...
So, of course, I had to go for the duck. One of the others had cleverly decided to get the beef so we had the chance to see if they lived up to the name of the restaurant. Why would you go to a place called Beef Duck and have the fish? They've named it for a reason, and who are we to to question it? Well, we're a group of hungry hospitality professionals, that's who.
My friend and I traded slices of our meals, as only the best people do, so I also got to experience the beef with Szechuan. It may have only been a mouthful, but it packed a punch of flavour that will live me for a very long time. Limousin Cows are, for me, arguably the best variety of cow for beef and this hangar cut had been treated like the royalty that it is. It's a rare cut in the UK these days, but if you have a chat with your local butcher they'll know all about it because that's a cut they keep for themselves because nobody asks for it. The jus was rich, shiny and unctuous, with the fragrant Szechuan flavour building gently before the slight kick of pepper at the end. The steak rested to perfection, and seasoned expertly. It struck me dumb at the time, I was rendered speechless. Even now, almost a week on, I'm struggling to the find the words.
So, to the duck. Sticking to their classical roots, the duck breast came feathered (that's the carving style, not that it still had actual feathers). This is a presentation style most used in the UK these days for melon courses at wedding venues and pubs that still live in the past (you know the one: a "fan" of Galia melon with a raspberry coulis drizzle).
The Pineau is the perfect companion for poultry/game being slightly floral with the unmistakable cognac after notes. The jus was creamy enough to coat whatever it came into contact with, glossy but not too rich. It didn't overpower and I could have easily drank a bucket of the stuff, my only regret is that I didn't even ask for a recipe. Guess I'll have to go back then, shame.
On a side note, if you're not familiar with what a magret duck breast is? It's the breast from the Moulard duck which is a corn fed breed raised almost exclusively for foie gras. It is prized in certain regions for being larger and with a gamier flavour. Whatever your thoughts on the production of foie gras, this is one of the other products made from the process. As I write this, it's illegal in the UK to produce foie gras, and you're not allowed to bring in foie gras products like pâté. It is legal to sell and buy whole foie gras though.
Back to the food, and I could have stopped after that main. I was happy and content. I could have walked away thinking all these wonderful thoughts. And the thought did cross my mind that I perhaps had peaked too soon and that maybe they weren't going to be consistent..? And then I made the fatal mistake and glanced across the dessert menu and...there it was: Tarte Tatin. My favourite. So simple to make, but a real journey of trial and error to perfect.
It arrived. I almost cried. OK look, the presentation is right out of the last millennium. There, I said it. Some facets of the classics haven't aged as well, but I'm here for the flavour and execution, and boy, did they execute this. I don't know if the ice-cream was made in-house, but it was freckled like a Dalmation with vanilla seeds. Sooo many vanilla seeds. The fragrant hit of vanilla knocked me for six, so clean and fresh and all the right kinds of comforting. The ice-cream was smooth and silky, and the perfect contrast to the warmth of the, er...wedge, of apples. Let me tell you, it's not easy to stack your tatin that deep and to deliver equally stewed fruits whilst keeping the presentation layer in one piece. That top layer wants to break down into mush the moment you look away, you have to look after it, nurse it, coax it into existence. The tarte was warm, and sweet and had this deep and intense apple flavour. The pastry was clinging on for dear life, what a champ! There was just enough still in it for it to maintain a presence in the flavour profile.
Wow, just wow. What a meal, what an experience.
I'm not going to sit here and pretend that the setting isn't a converted industrial unit, and as such doesn't have the "thing" that separates built-for-purpose restaurants from units. The furniture is comfortable, and the table layout is spacious enough to walk through, but not so far apart that you feel like you're set aside from the rest of the room. As already mentioned, the staff were exceptional and the whole operation is a polished as it's possible to be....but, at the end of the day it's still on a industrial park on the side of the road. In France where these sorts of estates are commonplace it's probably not that big of an issue, but for the British palette? It just feels a little strange. For us the only food places you tend to find on industrial parks sell cheap sandwiches for more than they're worth and 4 quid jacket spuds.
This is a place where you go for the food and the service. Look past your assumptions about the location, and you'll be surprised by every stage you experience once you walk in the door.
TL;DR: Venue and location takes some getting used to as a Brit, but the food and service more than makes up for that. Extraordinary experience.
"BEEF DUCK!" I squealed excitedly, almost losing control of the car, as we drove back to Le Gaff from Bergerac Airport. A car full of Brits burst into laughter about the bold sign on the industrial unit, and a legend was born. We mocked mercilessly, and ruminated about what sort of menu we would find on such a place. Surely, nothing of any note could be provided by somewhere with such a name? After all, here in the UK you will not find any "proper" restaurants with such a moniker. Such things are reserved for cafes and artisanal food trucks where tongue-in-cheek is par for the course. It would be fair to assume that our expectations were at rock bottom.
An hour or so later we arrive back at the farm, and before we even had time to turn on the coffee machine two of us had already fired up Google and we were on the hunt for the menu. We expected the mundane or the ridiculous...and what we discovered was something quite the opposite. The website is not the most technologically advanced in the world, but the reality today is that that applies to almost all catering websites I've ever viewed. Restaurants seem to expect their food and service to do the talking, and frankly this can be risky in a world of seasoned and experienced internet viewers who can spot a cheap website from a mile away. Ever been tempted by a place recommended by a friend and then you've looked them up online and been hesitant to visit after viewing their online presence? Yeah, this is that.
 |
| Le Boeuf Canard à la carte |
The à la carte we were presented with on the website is packed full of pure French classics, and I was immediately enamoured. Of all the glorious things I experienced on that trip to the Dordogne, this is the one thing I couldn't stop raving about when I got back to Blighty. Sorry to all my friends that had to put up with it.
If you just sighed when I mentioned the classics because "there's no innovation when you're too focused on the past" you need to crawl back in your cave and keep your mouth shut. Innovation has a place in this world, of course. As does traditional fare; and there aren't many cuisines on this little rock of ours that can compete with the French for just getting it right every time. French food is the bedrock from which nearly all modern Western food is built on.
Skip forward 15 months give or take, and the opportunity finally presented itself. We needed to drop someone off at the airport and their check-in time happily coincided with the end of lunch. That was all we needed, and the decision was quickly made. I can't lie, I became giddy with excitement. Those same friends who dealt with my excitement a year earlier now got a barrage of messages about it again. Only this time, they were all at work and some got really quite mad. Oops. Sorry, not sorry.
The three of us arrived around midday on a cloudy Spring day with the usual accompanying constant state of drizzle. All of us in attendance have varying levels of French speaking, and unsurprisingly, the staff picked up on this almost immediately. All the staff we spoke with were welcoming, helpful, knowledgeable and distant-yet-attentive; all the things you expect from a well versed, well refined operation. "Waiter" is not a dirty word in France, there is pride in the delivery of food and exceptional service.
 |
| BEEF DUCK! |
It took me far longer than I'm prepared to admit to decide what I wanted to eat. I don't do so well with making decisions at the best of times, and this was one of the biggest decisions I've ever had to make on my own. 15 months of anticipation was behind this, and I was terrified of making a bad decision...
So, of course, I had to go for the duck. One of the others had cleverly decided to get the beef so we had the chance to see if they lived up to the name of the restaurant. Why would you go to a place called Beef Duck and have the fish? They've named it for a reason, and who are we to to question it? Well, we're a group of hungry hospitality professionals, that's who.
My friend and I traded slices of our meals, as only the best people do, so I also got to experience the beef with Szechuan. It may have only been a mouthful, but it packed a punch of flavour that will live me for a very long time. Limousin Cows are, for me, arguably the best variety of cow for beef and this hangar cut had been treated like the royalty that it is. It's a rare cut in the UK these days, but if you have a chat with your local butcher they'll know all about it because that's a cut they keep for themselves because nobody asks for it. The jus was rich, shiny and unctuous, with the fragrant Szechuan flavour building gently before the slight kick of pepper at the end. The steak rested to perfection, and seasoned expertly. It struck me dumb at the time, I was rendered speechless. Even now, almost a week on, I'm struggling to the find the words.
 |
| Beef with Szechuan |
 |
| Magret Duck Breast with Pineau des Charentes |
On a side note, if you're not familiar with what a magret duck breast is? It's the breast from the Moulard duck which is a corn fed breed raised almost exclusively for foie gras. It is prized in certain regions for being larger and with a gamier flavour. Whatever your thoughts on the production of foie gras, this is one of the other products made from the process. As I write this, it's illegal in the UK to produce foie gras, and you're not allowed to bring in foie gras products like pâté. It is legal to sell and buy whole foie gras though.
Back to the food, and I could have stopped after that main. I was happy and content. I could have walked away thinking all these wonderful thoughts. And the thought did cross my mind that I perhaps had peaked too soon and that maybe they weren't going to be consistent..? And then I made the fatal mistake and glanced across the dessert menu and...there it was: Tarte Tatin. My favourite. So simple to make, but a real journey of trial and error to perfect.
 |
| The Classic Tarte Tatin |
Wow, just wow. What a meal, what an experience.
I'm not going to sit here and pretend that the setting isn't a converted industrial unit, and as such doesn't have the "thing" that separates built-for-purpose restaurants from units. The furniture is comfortable, and the table layout is spacious enough to walk through, but not so far apart that you feel like you're set aside from the rest of the room. As already mentioned, the staff were exceptional and the whole operation is a polished as it's possible to be....but, at the end of the day it's still on a industrial park on the side of the road. In France where these sorts of estates are commonplace it's probably not that big of an issue, but for the British palette? It just feels a little strange. For us the only food places you tend to find on industrial parks sell cheap sandwiches for more than they're worth and 4 quid jacket spuds.
This is a place where you go for the food and the service. Look past your assumptions about the location, and you'll be surprised by every stage you experience once you walk in the door.
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