Brilliant meal at Jacky Dallais' La Promenade, Le Petit Pressigny

We have long been great admirers of Jacky Dallais' La Promenade in Le Petit Pressigny. For us it is one of the best restaurants in France in terms of quality but also in value. 

We were there last night and had a brilliant meal – excellent from start to finish, so that it was very difficult to pick out a favourite dish. It was perhaps our best ever meal at La Promenade. We chose the four course Menu Tradition – entrée, fish, main course and dessert – 54 euros. I hate to think what one would pay in London for a meal of this quality! 

 The initial nibbles minus the baby tomatoes 

that we ate before taking a photo!

 A robin keeps an eye on proceedings 

2014 Les Grenouillères, Montlouis, La Grange Tiphaine 

Coralie and Damien Delecheneau 
A lovely delicate demi-sec Montlouis as an apéro

The oysters – now a Dallais signature dish 

Delicious plump oysters

Pléiade Poget: the source of the oysters 

2011 Réserve, Muscadet de Sèvre-et-Maine, Fred Lailler
Domaine Michel Brégeon

Fred Lailler took over from Michel Brégeon is 2011, 

when Michel retired 

This Muscadet from Gorges spent four years on its lees.

Complex and very pure – excellent with both the 

oysters and the pike (brochet)

Another great dish: pike encased with thin slices 

of potato and an écrevisse sauce

Perfectly cooked 

Poulette de Racan with artichoke hearts 

Racan lies to the north of Tours on way to the valley of Le Loir

Saddle of rabbit topped with rabbit kidneys

2013 Saint-Joseph from Pierre Gonon

I had chosen St Joseph from Chave.

However, Xavier suggested this one which was 4€

cheaper and he thought better than the Chave.

The Pierre Gonon was certainly very good with 

attractively textured herbal character with a fresh finish. 

This is why Xavier is so good at his job. 

The famous negative profiteroles

The chocolate casing is melted by the warm vanilla custard 

Petits fours to finish

Le Petit Pressigny: some photos mainly of Jacky Dallais' La Promenade

 

 Sign@the southern entry to Le Petit Pressigny

Bienvenue au Petit Pressigny

Au Fil de l'Aigronne (left) – Jacky Dallais' La Promenade (right)

Yesterday we had a wonderful evening at Jacky Dallais' La Promenade. I don't know how many times we have been there over the years – probably a good 30 and it never disappoints. Fortunately there is now a very welcoming Chambres d'Hotes just opposite – Au Fil de l'Aigronne (tel: 02.47.91.69.19) run by Valérie and Loïc Bobson. They only have three rooms so early booking is advised. Staying there means we can go for dinner and avoid the long drive back to Epeigné.  

 Flowers in the courtyard of Au Fil de l'Aigronne

 

Butterfly over the bike shed

 

Menu du Jour@Au Bon Coin, PP's other restaurant

La Promenade in distance

Au Bon Coin – café - restaurant

Au Bon Coin – menu@11.50€
La Promenade in distance

 La Promenade in the morning sunlight

Au fil de l'Aigronne (B&B) makes dinner@La Promenade possible

Just a few steps from Au fil de l'Aigronne (left) to La Promenade

Readers of Jim's Loire may well be aware of our enthusiasm for Jacky Dallais' wonderful restaurant – La Promenade in Le Petit Pressigny. Hitherto we have virtually always had to have lunch there as it is around 60 kilometres from Epeigné-les-Bois to Le Petit Pressigny. We have stayed in the area a couple of times but it was never a great success. The first time must have been nearly 20 years ago in a chambre d'hôte just across from La Promenade. The other time was in a château chambre d'hôte in the next village – La Celle Guenand – which meant a four kilometre walk along the road.

Fortunately the original chambre d'hôte opposite the restaurant has been completely revamped, having changed hands a couple of times. The very welcoming present owners – Valérie et Loïc Bobon, who are originally from La Mayenne, took over about a year ago at Au fil de l'Aigronne. We booked the downstairs suite for last night – 70€ including breakfast for the two adjoining rooms with shared facilities, so were able to enjoy the customary excellent meal at La Promenade without having to worry about a long journey home that evening.
    

I'm sure this won't be the last time we opt to spend the night in Le Petit Pressigny at the Bobon's B&B. Amongst the other people staying there last night was a couple from Tours, who hearing how good La Promenade is, caught the bus that runs from Tours to Tournon Saint-Martin. They had dinner at La Promenade last night and were planning to have Sunday lunch there before heading back to Tours on the bus that passes around 5.30pm.

Recommended eating places in Eastern Touraine (part 4)

La Promenade – Jacky Dallais

Somewhat of a cheat this as Le Petit Pressigny is in the deep south of Touraine but so what as this is one of my favourite restaurants in France. Jacky Dallais’ cooking is brilliantly inventive and given the quality of the food certainly offers amazing value for money. Dallais champions local produce including the geline de touraine*, a particularly flavoursome local bred of chicken. Once Touraine’s traditional, high quality chicken, the geline had virtually died some 50 years ago because it needs 120-130 days to raise against only 90 days for other, but less tasty, breeds. Profit and accountants appeared to have doomed the geline – also called the Dame Noire. Fortunately in a small group of people started to revive the breed in the early 1980s.

There is also a splendid wine list not just the Loire but other parts of France, especially Languedoc-Roussillon, expertly orchestrated by Xavier Fortin.

Road sign in Le Petit Pressigny

The only problem with La Promenade is that it is a long way from the Cher Valley and there is nowhere nearby to stay, so for me it has to be a long lunch day.

Closed Sunday night, Monday and Tuesday. Booking essential

11 Rue du Savoureulx, 37350 Le Petit-Pressigny
Tel: 02.47.94.93.52.
Web: www.touraine-gourmande.com/resto24.php

* For more information about the geline click here and here.