I have been intending for some time to share my very positive impression of this gem with readers, but had not gotten to it. It is better late than never. Indeed my early fall (October 11) dinner at this chateau was one of the highlights of a 16 day trip to France and Spain. Other highlights included Mugaritz and Etxebarri in the Basque region of Spain, Con Fabes and Can Roca in Catalunia and L’Ambroisie in Paris. At Bras and Troisgros, on the other hand, we had less than stellar meals. My wife and I have also made a number of excellent new discoveries among one star and no star restaurants (Ca L’Enric and Ca Nasia in Catalunia and Pont de l’Ouysse and L’Esplanade in Dordogne—I hope to summarize them in an upcoming review). Now let’s go back to Cordeillan Bages. Our first impression in this modern, sleek dining room did not prepare us for the taste sensations that were in store for us. To start with one dish which is truly stellar and may make my top ten ever list, I should first describe the Pauillac Lamb. I hesitate to make strong statements about the species of lamb as pre-sale of Normandy, Quercy (Dordogne), Sisteron, Allaiton, Lozere, etc., (to name the French appellations) can all be outstanding. So much depends on how old the lamb is, the particular cut, and whether or not it has been appropriately aged, etc. So much also depends on what one is looking for. Devouring a 20 day old suckling churra breed lamb in a Ribera Duero asador (such as Mannix in Campaspero) can be sensational. The fat structure will be optimal and texture will be like butter, but the lamb will not have developed some of the more complex tastes that come with grazing. My friend and partner at Gastroville, Mikael, who is running experiments with different lambs from various appellations, thinks that Pauillac lambs are at their best between 60 to 65 days in terms of texture and fat structure. He also thinks that around 15 days is the right time to eat them after they have been killed.At any rate, it is almost impossible to find Pauillac lamb outside the region (except for Mikael…..). At Cordeillan Bages I was told that the lamb was about two months old and that it had come from a small producer, called Monsieur Reyes, who is supplying the restaurant. Chef Thierry Marx has created a delicious and complex dish from this exceptional raw material. He serves four parts on the same plate: the leg, shoulder, chop and the back (selle). They are cooked differently, but all are in optimal condition when they appear on the plate. The lamb chop is grilled, the selle is roasted, the shoulder is cooked a long time as a confit, and the leg is spit roasted. Two side dishes accompany the center piece. The first is an artistic preparation from the escalope of the same lamb which is shaped like a cone, and different cones are dusted by different flavors: pineapple, walnut, pistachios. You can dip them in a mousse of cucumber, flavored by mint. A baby “club” sandwich of incomparable taste with lamb and sun dried tomato is also included as a complimentary element.
The second side dish, is, as expected, a medley of seasonal vegetables. All fresh, all tender: scallions, green beans, onions, leeks, turnips, carrots, etc. What is unexpected, however, is the inclusion of two complimentary elements to the dish which enriches the flavors. One is an ethereal gnocchi of herbs. The second is fried meat from the neck of the lamb (collier).
The whole thing epitomizes both the personal philosophy of the Chef and the spirit of French Haute Cuisine. Thierry Marx makes a very complex process based on the coexistence of different techniques look very simple. Of course the simplicity is deceptive. Raw materials are outstanding, and their true flavors have not been compromised despite the complex preparation. Basic constituent flavors do shine, and the combination of these flavors creates a sensational taste. The dish is both original, and it also displays a continuity with centuries old traditions. Bravo!
Had the rest of the meal been merely adequate, I would still have recommended Cordeillan Bages. But the other three dishes we had did shine as well. They were all seafood dishes. The first dish of “ratatouille de pulpe tiede, langoustine et cookies aux epices” was, perhaps, merely good. One very fresh and almost raw langoustine per person was served with ground pistachios and subtle ratatouille foam topped by an ethereally light “cookie” which crumbles and imparts a slight cumin flavor to the langoustine. I found the textural contrast interesting and the subtlety of spicing and texture intriguing, but somehow the dish was a tad too “chic” and not as delicious as some other more simple preparations from langoustines. The smoked mackerel, on the other hand, (which was not on the menu and was brought to the table as a nice surprise) was of stunningly good quality and delicious. The fat mackerel sat on a slightly sweetened banana, and the subtle infusion included xerex vinegar and rosemary. Smoking fish and meat is very “in” nowadays, but it is rarely this successful. The contrast between smokiness, fat, acidity and sweetness here was well thought out. There was not a single element which dominated the others, but the centrality of the fresh mackerel, a fish I like very much, was not lost.
At least as sensational, if not more, was the “Turbot a l’huile de l’Ostal et croque au sel, epices et lie de vin”. The thick turbot piece was cooked optimally in the salt crust, and the olive oil emulsion served with it had the silky texture of a mousseline which was so good that we kept pouring it over our Atlantic turbot—which was cut from the bone of a very large fish. The feather light cookie which was served on top was similar to the one that came with the langoustine dish, but the cumin flavor married with turbot better than the langoustine. The turbot was served with a side dish of exceptional fougasse bread stuffed with anchovies and red peppers. They serve it with three asparagus tips and freshly pressed olive oil from their own garden. We had just arrived after the harvest, and the olive oil was exceptional. Monsieur Cazes, the owner of Cordeillan Bages and Lynch Bages, must be a very lucky person.
Posted on Gastroville.com on January 31, 2006 07:27 AMOther details concerning the restaurant are also noteworthy. The homemade breads are exceptional. The cheese course is limited in choice, but the offerings are in an optimal state. We had very good St. Nectaire, Cantal and superb brebis. Like the breads, the four butters that they serve are also made on the premises. We tasted all four: brebis (tart and delicious), unfinished butter (like a mousse), unsalted and semi-salted. Desserts are modern and light and I have especially liked the “Biscuit halawa, compotee d’orange semi-prise, yaourt glace”. The petit fours we have devoured with our coffee and Armagnac in a separate room befitting a “Relais et Chateau” are also fresh, and I have found their Gateau Basque, which is filled with dried cherries and caramel, to be quite memorable.The wine list is quite good. We started with a cup of 96 Ruinart, followed by a half 2004 Mas de Daumas Gassac (DG) white, and we finished with a bottle of 98 Pommard Epenots from Viollot Guillemart. I ranked the DG 92/100 and the Pommard 91/100 in my notebook. The rustic, meaty, earthy Pommard was a good match for the lamb. The turbot does warrant a full bodied and slightly oaky Bourgogne. Maybe a Comte Lafon Meursault Perrieres would go well?
The last Michelin had listed five restaurants with two stars in a special category highlighting them with an asterisk implying a possible candidate for three stars. Of these, I hit Roellinger on a bad day, but the people I respect don’t quite share my lack of enthusiasm. L’Oasis at Napoule should not even be accorded two stars. My meal there last summer was mediocre. Of the three meals I had at Pré Catelan in Paris, two were very good, but the last one was mediocre. The only meal I had at Meurice delivered at the upper end of two stars, but Alleno is not yet ready for the third star. Of the five, IMO, Thierry Marx is the most exciting, and I won’t be surprised if he gets a third star from Michelin in the near future. In the meantime, take advantage of this place, while prices are still only moderately expensive.
Gastroville Ranking: 18.5/20
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