Simone & Maurice Glacier (Dijon, FRANCE) ★★★☆☆

After satisfying my craving for French pastries, it was time to get ourselves some frosty ice-cream to battle the heat. Simone & Maurice Glacier has been praised by locals and tourists alike for its natural flavors so we decided to drop by for a sweet treat.

Their ice creams and sorbets are 100% homemade without additives and preservatives. 

Like most artisanal ice-cream parlors, they offer a limited selection of flavors and do not maintain excessive stock.

Vanilla and Apricot (€4.5) – The vanilla ice-cream was really rich and creamy while the apricot sorbet provided a strong burst of acidity. Very stark contrast. 

Little nugget seemed to love this (but he loves any frosty ice-cream!).

I always love a small, artisanal ice-cream shop but I thought the flavors here are a little too heavy on the fruity side, which isn't entirely my cup of tea.  

Food Rating: 5.9/10

Price: €€

Address: 6 Rue de la Chouette, 21000 Dijon, France

Tel: +33 (0)3 8043-8701

Website: www.simonemaurice.fr

Opening Hours: 10:00am - 6:30pm (Tue - Sat), 3:00pm - 6:00pm (Sun)

Maison Paroty Dijon Théâtre (Dijon, FRANCE) ★★★☆☆

After averaging at least two pastries a day when we were in Paris, I have been shut out in Dijon so far. But I knew my fortune was about to turn around when I dumped into Maison Paroty Dijon Théâtre on our way to Église Saint-Michel.



Maison Paroty is situated on Place du Théâtre, a bustling spot in the heart of Dijon, known for its centralized location and proximity to some of the city's historic landmarks including the Museum of Fine Arts. 

I decided to step inside the boulangerie pâtisserie for a quick look.

They offer a nice selection of traditional French pastries, baked goods and ice-cream. Even have a small tea salon next to the pastry counter which would make a fine spot for a relaxing afternoon tea.

Baba Rhum Ananas (€3.5) – I missed out on the chance to taste the rum baba from Stroher who was credited with creating the French dessert back in the 1700s but here's my second chance.

My rum baba came with a small tube of pineapple rum infused syrup and apparently, it was up to me to decide how much liquor I wanted to inject into my cake.

I finally found a place to get this over with. I have always enjoyed simple desserts and this is as simple as it gets. We have got a light and fluffy yeast cake on the bottom, topped by a cloud of light whipped cream and the rum-infused syrup turned it into something that was moist and flavorful (fruity at the same time thanks to the pineapple flavor). Very nice!

So happy to get my sweet tooth started in Dijon! Hopefully, a sign of things to come for the remainder of this trip...

Food Rating: 5.8/10

Price: €€

Address: 3 Bis Rue Vaillant, 21000 Dijon, France

Tel: +33 (0)3 7936-5784

Website: www.paroty.fr

Opening Hours: 7:00am - 7:00pm (Mon - Sat)

BHV Brasserie de l'Hôtel de Ville (Dijon, FRANCE) ★★☆☆☆

We had a slow start to our day making a few stops on Rue de la Liberté before finally reaching Liberation Square, Dijon's main square and one with historic significance.



This is where you find some of the most prominent attractions in Dijon including Hotel De ville (Dijon's Town Hall) and Palais des Ducs et des États de Bourgogne (what a long name for an attraction).

 

Little nugget just couldn't stop running around the water fountains with the other kids.

Of course, we had to find a lunch spot on Liberation Square to soak up this wonderful vibe.  

We ended up picking BHV (Brasserie Hotel De ville) cuz they were on the quieter side of the square and had a number of tables opened up after a large tour group has just left.

Gnocchi, burrata cheese, ham, tomato – Little one has been asking for pasta since early morning and this was the only pasta dish they've got on their menu. I thought the homemade gnocchi was a little soggy but the supporting cast of burrata cheese, ham, tomato, rocket leaves and tomato sauce was reasonably good. Not sure if the dish was meant to be this soupy.

Salmon, red pepper, polenta – By far the best dish here. The sous-vide salmon fillet, topped with chopped tomatoes and olives, was nicely matched with confit red pepper and polenta cake. Not bad.

Pork pluma, new potatoes, chimichurri – The pork was really rough and it felt like eating my car tires (Jelloman actually thought it was OK). Didn't like the chimichurri sauce.

Following the meal, this guy was back at it again "gliding thru" the water fountain.

With the nasty heat this afternoon, I bet everyone including myself would love to do the same as well.

BHV was never our first choice to begin with. Michelin-starred Loiseau des Ducs, just a few steps off the square was. Opened in 2013, Loiseau des Ducs was named after Bernard Loiseau, a highly acclaimed French chef awarded with three Michelin stars back in his days. He passed away in 2003 with reports claiming that he took his own life after deeply affected by rumors that his restaurant might lose one of its three Michelin stars. The news sent shockwaves through the culinary community and sparked discussions about the intense pressure and stress that many chefs face in the pursuit of culinary perfection.

In fact, this was not the only restaurant in the world which was named after the great chef. We had the pleasure of dining at Bernard Loiseau Signature Éo in Osaka back in 2015, another restaurant opened in memory of the chef.

Going back to our lunch experience for a moment here.....

Our dining experience at BHV was a disappointing one without question. We were rushed through the meal, partly due to the constant attacks by a group of bees. Coupled with the subpar quality of the food, it culminated in an overall underwhelming experience.

Liberation Square, Dijon at night.

    

The light show at Liberation Square is a captivating spectacle that illuminates the historical centre of the city with a dazzling display of lights and colors. This night event helps to transform the square into a magical paradise that draws locals and visitors alike.

Food Rating: 4.6/10

Price: €€€

Address: 22 Place de la Libération, 21000 Dijon, France

Tel: +33 (0)3 8041-8150

Opening Hours: 8:30am - 10:00pm daily