After we walked around Riquewihr in the afternoon heat, I told Bill I was hungry. It was too early to check into the hotel, so I suggested that we get some lunch. Our hotel was located right next to a quiet looking place called L’Originel (now closed). At first, I was a little hesitant to venture inside, since we had Zane and Arran and it appeared to be an upscale eatery. Also even though it was almost one o’clock, the restaurant was empty. But they welcomed us and the dogs, so we sat out on their balcony and proceeded to have a beautiful midday repast. It was way beyond what I’d hoped for at lunchtime.
Obligatory shot of Bill checking the menu. We started with sparkling water and glasses of Cremant, a lovely sparkling wine made in the Alsace region.
The boys were accommodated with water.
The amuse. It was a challenge for both of us. I don’t like white truffles or anything else obviously fungal. Bill is not a fan of soft or, as in this case, raw eggs! Actually, we were presented with the yolk served with horseradish and a cracker. It was surprisingly good, though I let Bill have the truffle.
We both ordered the set menu, which was priced at 23 euros and came with a starter, entree, and a dessert. Yesterday, the starter was shrimp salad with fresh greens, melon balls, and colorful cauliflower florets. It was just the right size and not too heavy. We sipped a nice local Riesling. Since moving back to Germany, we have become fans of Rieslings, which are much drier here than in the States. This course came with very fresh white bread.
The shrimp salad was followed by this lovely dorade filet with potatoes, peppers, asparagus, celery, and carrot. It was topped off with a reduction of white wine and broth from the fish. Again, not too heavy and beautifully presented. This dish came with a grain bread that replaced the lovely white from the previous course.
Dessert was a refreshing dish of raspberry and strawberry sorbet, served with wild berries and nuts. The little white dollops are meringues.
And this sweet little ending– a lemon pudding with berries– came with the check to help soften the blow.
A picture of the business card for future travelers who want to dine there.
Before the tip, this lunch came to 92 euros. It was worth it. And I was so proud of the boys, who handled themselves so well, even when a few other diners showed up. I couldn’t help but ask Bill why the hell we hadn’t done a one night trip sooner. I think we will definitely do more of them for as long as we live here in Europe.
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