This was the occasion we had been waiting for. Our first visit to Chez Bru in 2002 left us with memories of “our best meal ever” - could the place live up to the memories and the hype we had created for it?? Plus the question as to whether my heatstroke/sunstroke-affected digestive system would be sufficiently recovered.
A leisurely morning to prepare ourselves for the main event, dressing up in our holiday finest (which was not-quite fine after 2 weeks in a suitcase in the back of the tent), and working up a crippling hunger. Warby senior kindly drove us over the Alpilles to Eygalières to arrive for a 12:30 start.
We sat through in the small stone courtyard at the back of the restuarant, shaded by a canvas awning, and ordered our apéritif. These turned up accompanied by some thin slices of dry-cured local ham on a piece of thick grey slate and breadsticks with a garlicky creme-fraîche. Next came a beautiful and tiny amuse-bouche - a single cherry tomato with its own crystallised salt-and-sugar “hat” with a splash of green, herby sauce - one exquisite mouthful.
Then the real fun began. Accompanied by a delicious bottle of Vallongue rosé, we both ordered from the Menu Dégustation (eventually, although there was some indecision from me whether to go for the more expensive Menu Surprise).
The first course to arrive was langoustine; three succulent shellfish wrapped in crisp, fried bread with finely diced tomatoes and beans, topped with crisp slivers of wild mushroom. Next up, and my favourite dish, was king crab with potato mousse; a truly fantastic combination of firm white crab meat covered with the lightest imaginable creamy potato mousse, topped with strips of black truffle. The earthy aroma from truffle could be smelt before the plate even arrived on the table! For our main course, we chose different options, Kate going for lightly fried, delicately flavoured John Dory and me taking the crisp, full-flavoured local lamb. (I won that one, I think!).
Then onto the cheese board, a superb array of local (mostly goats’) cheese with some excellent national varieties as well. We both went for three or four small pieces, the aged goats cheese coming out tops, in my opinion. As our resolve started to waver, out came the dessert - crème brulée. But not like any I have ever tried before. A light, airy, almost non-existent crème, slightly crispy on top, covering a rich layer of wild fruits, accompanied by wonderful colourless, minty spun sugar. Genius!
Finally, after two-and-a-half hours of effort, we reached coffees, served with delicious white chocolates, madeleine cakes and caramelised almonds. A perfect finish to a stunning meal!
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