This is our third time back at Georges Blanc, a ritual, and a rule for Christmas. If you do not know already, this is a serious institution for French gastronomy with chef Georges Blanc still being an important figure, past and present. He is the heir to three generations of astounding cooks and not forgetting, mothers. The restaurant has held three Michelin stars since 1981, think about this restaurant firstly as product led, it all starts with the absolute best produce accompanied with expert sauces. The Bresse region is what this place is all about, taking tradition yet not forgetting it, implementing this into the times today, breathing in creativity with that recognisable, super strong technique. Every time you come here; you know exactly the standard you shall be receiving. It never changes, and this is a good thing. Take a walk around the village first, and do not miss the wall of all the celebrities who have signed it, this is a famous place, so many people have come and gone. It is interesting to see the history going back as far as the 1800s!
Let us get one thing straight before we go any further: Bresse is known for its chicken worldwide, it is the best you can find. At Georges Blanc, they supply the exceptional so when you visit here, it does not make any sense to look past it. If it is on the menu, please do order this even if you must arrange in advance. You can take a couple of starters first if you wish but my advice is to save space for the poulet. Do not ruin the moment by getting too full beforehand!
To start off, the restaurant sits you for the aperitif and then they move you to your table. I love the dining room, it has this French rustic village ambiance, relaxed but still knowing you are in a three star. The menu has a la carte of course (even at Christmas) and the choice for tasting menus. You are not forced to have a set menu despite the festive season. We already knew we were going down the a la carte route and had ordered the Bresse chicken in advance. But before we get to that, I had a light starter of crab which was cold and perfectly delivered, covered with a thin veil of jelly, and topped with oscietre caviar, the sauce gently bringing everything together. It was the right dish to take. I did notice that we had a better caviar the night before for our Christmas Eve party, but it was not letting down the dish in any way. The first lot of bread graced the table quickly and as usual was just utterly addictive and satisfying, especially the one without any water included in the dough. The butters to go with it were new, they were elegant and refined flavour bombs.
The magnificent salt crust that the chicken was cooked in appeared before our very eyes and then was taken away to be prepared and carved, this you could see them doing in the dining room especially for you. Here is the theatre and magic of Georges Blanc- And my god you could smell it wafting from a good distance, permeating the dining room. “Would you like the leg or the breast?” The waiter asked. “The leg please” I replied. I always prefer this to the breast, but the lucky people with that part have the pleasure of eating the black truffle from underneath the skin, where it is placed during cooking. The brown meat of the leg is super dark and firm, (But still tender), robust, meaty, and rich. A significant characteristic in taste and texture is present here, which you will not find on your average bird you would eat for your roast in England, on a Sunday… I am sorry but we just cannot match this level of product, and it is time to face facts that France does this better. I have not forgotten to mention the Madeira sauce; it is mastery in sauce making. Sweet, deep in depth, and it stands up to the the bird extremely well. The other possibility was to take the cream, foie gras and champagne sauce, but I found this too heavy for my taste today, however this classic pairing is necessary, it is delicious and deliberate. Go for it.
I cannot leave Georges Blanc without a dessert despite how full I might be feeling, but this time I prepared well, and I did not overeat! The pre dessert was well thought out, normally I am bored by them but not this one, so unique and delicious- I ate the whole thing. The soufflé ended the meal on a refreshing and light note. I do not need to say it was perfectly executed- Of course it was! Hello, look where we are. The dominant flavour being lime, and accompanied by a pineapple sorbet, it was the perfect end.
I have included pictures of the dishes of my guests as well for visuals, just because. I have eaten them before on previous visits and they are all high level in the cookery. Enjoy looking and start planning your visit, they also have have a hotel so you can stay on site.
