L’Oignon (Strasbourg, FRANCE) ★★★★☆

When we returned to Strasbourg after a full day of activities in Colmar, it was already a little after 7 pm, leaving us very little time to explore the city’s historic centre. I thought, if there’s a place to soak up Strasbourg’s medieval charm with our remaining time here, it has to be Petite France.

Petite France (or Little France) is easily the most picturesque quarter of Strasbourg, located on the southwestern edge of the city’s central island. Best known for its fairytale-like atmosphere, this UNESCO World Heritage Site is highlighted by its winding canals, cobblestone streets, wooden bridges, and beautifully preserved 17th-century half-timbered houses.

We did our best to soak up the storybook vibe by visiting a few sunset viewpoints and aimlessly wandering around the main thoroughfare. Before we knew it, half an hour had flown by right into dinner time.

This was when we arrived at our dinner destination — L’Oignon, a local institution celebrated for its warm, cozy atmosphere and excellent Alsatian cuisine. We all thought it would be silly to pass up the chance to sit on the lovely outdoor terrace right along the narrow cobblestone streets and immerse ourselves in the area’s historic charm.

Alsatian snails (6 pcs, €12) — Little nugget specifically asked for these, so as expected, he ended up finishing them all.

As usual, the snails were baked with parsley butter. I just wish there had been more left (before this guy finished it all) so I could have used it as a dip for the bread.

French tarte tatin of caramelized shallots (€11) — I mistakenly thought this was the traditional French onion soup (the restaurant's signature dish), but it turned out to be something different. On top of the caramelized shallots was a pool of cream cheese with herbs. It had most of the elements of an onion soup, but without the delicious broth.

Traditional sauerkraut with five kinds of meat and sausages (€22) — With Strasbourg situated so close to the German border, it came as no surprise that the restaurants here boast some of the most amazing “homestyle” German dishes.

I didn’t exactly count how many different kinds there were, but it definitely included pork belly, knuckle, and sausage… and these were really, really tender and succulent.

Alsatian chicken supreme (€22) — The chicken fillets were pretty tender and were nicely complemented by a creamy oyster mushroom sauce.

Some roasted potatoes as a side dish.

Choosing to sit on the terrace was the best decision we have made in a while. To enjoy front-row seats to the neighborhood’s half-timbered houses, weeping willows, and the gentle reflection of historic architecture on the water, it was priceless.

And honestly, the night scene only got better as the evening went on. (Photo touched up with AI.)

Food Rating: 6.8/10

Price: €€€

Address: 4 Rue des Moulins, 67000 Strasbourg, France

Tel: +33 (0)3 8816-5981

Website: http://www.restaurantloignon.fr/

Opening Hours: 12:00pm - 2:00pm (Mon - Thu), 12:00pm - 3:00pm (Fri - Sat), 12:00pm - 4:00pm (Sun), 7:00pm - 10:00pm daily

La Villa Madie (Cassis, FRANCE) ★★★★★

La Villa Madie is our second three Michelin starred experience of this trip, immediately following yesterday's impressive lunch at L'Oustau de Baumanière. Located in the coastal town of Cassis, this fine-dining restaurant boasts stunning cliffs and beaches right in its backyard. 

Prior to 2022, La Villa Madie was considered a hidden gem in southern Provence. The restaurant, which had held two stars since 2017, made a surprising leap to the prestigious three-star status in 2022.

Owner-chef Dimitri Droisneau, originally from Normandy, possesses an exceptional resume that includes experience in some of France's finest kitchens such as La Tour d'Argent, Lucas Carton and Ambroisie.

At La Villa Madie, they have a menu with an oceanic theme to match the breathtaking seaside view. Needless to say, we are in for a very special treat.

Before the trip, I was given the option to sit indoor or outdoor and without much hesitation, I have requested an outdoor seat with a view to the beach. That sounded like a pretty good decision now.

Although we certainly won't mind going all out for the tables under the sun!

We were first started off with a refreshing welcome drink made with garden herbs and flowers.

It was immediately followed by an amazing array of amuse bouche.

Shrimp tartare sprinkled with coffee powder was served on a spoon.

Refreshing summer soup made with watermelon and cucumber finished off with a touch of olive oil, accompanied by a spoonful of summer salad.

Pita bread with olive and capers delivering a vibrant burst of sharp acidity.

Last but not least, a small Provençal-style ratatouille covered nicely by a layer of refreshing onion foam. This was served up with a tiny seaweed sandwich with some sort of smoked vegetable purée in the middle. If this is for the purpose of stimulating our palate and getting our taste buds prepared for the meal ahead, they have achieved exactly that!

A further amuse bouche showed up in the form a chickpea tart with cheese and garlic and I've forgotten all about the second nibble.

Red mullet, sea urchin – This was not part of the set menu so I took it as another nibble to kick off the meal as well. Red mullet carpaccio was beautifully presented on a bed of crispy pastry with an accompanying sea urchin emulsion serving as a dip.

The tender and flaky red mullet with its typical delicate and mild flavor, but there was the sea urchin emulsion adding a rich umami note to elevate the dish.

A brioche topped with sea salt came with the carpaccio so we could use for soaking up the flavorful sauce.

Toutreau crab, crab ice-cream, garden herbs, consommé – A small tower of Toutreau crab meat elegantly crowned by a scoop of crab ice-cream (tasted more like crab roe) was finished with a nice pour of chilled consommé made with the crab shells.

The delightful dish was garnished with fresh garden herbs, adding a burst of flavor and color to the mix, and there was the finishing touch by the consommé enhancing the overall flavor profile with its rich, savory essence.

A few of these madeleine were served on the side in case we wanted to dip into the umami-rich consommé. This was very pleasing to the eye.

Seabass, oyster, lime, sancho – Beautifully cooked French seabass with a satisfying foam made with oysters by Pascal Migliore delivering a briny sea water flavor that complemented the sweetness of the fish brilliantly. The dish was further enhanced by the zesty notes of lime and the subtle spice of sansho pepper, creating an incredible balance of flavors.

Turbot, tomato, tarragon – Next up was turbot grilled with tomato which was served with a few different condiments highlighted by a powerful tomato and tarragon emulsion in the middle, and juice from the turbot which was then flavored with saffron. There was a side dish of a gorgeous vegetable tart topped with lettuce, caramelized onions, zucchini, tomatoes, mushrooms and baby turnip. 

Rabbit, lobster – Our main course was a delicious fricassée of rabbit and lobster. The superbly cooked lobster was nice but it was the rabbit rolls made from different parts of the rabbit that stole the show here. I particularly loved the creamy liver bringing out the best of the gaminess from the dish.

The sauce was a wonderful symphony of flavors and fragrances starting with a rich red wine reduction and tarragon foam (again?), which was infused with the sweetness of raspberry jam and grapes, complemented by the savory notes of onion, shallot and celeriac. Easily my favorite dish of the afternoon.

A small bite of what I thought was deep-fried celeriac came as a side dish. 

Vanilla flan, praline, rum – We have two desserts on the menu this afternoon and the first to arrive was a vanilla flan made with Madagascar vanilla and praline. Small Dabs of vinegar and rum from La Maison Ferroni, 20 minutes from the restaurant further enriched the vanilla notes while creating a more balanced mix of flavors.

All around the fig – I love French figs and this was surely right up my alley with the dessert building around different textures of figs from Valence.

In the centerpiece, we have the fig tower stuffed with fresh figs topped nicely by a layer of fig jelly. A refreshing verbena sorbet added herby notes to the dessert, while a light green foam made with fig leaf tied everything together with its thick, gluey texture and minty note.

And we have more figs to come, roasted fig with its leaf. Very natural sweetness and clean flavors there.

At this point, Chef Droisneau came by to say hi and we just couldn't resist asking for a photo together!

We were truly blessed to indulge in two exquisite meals from two world-class kitchens on back-to-back days, each a masterpiece in its own right. As our journey through France draws to a close, we find ourselves reflecting on the unforgettable flavors, the warm hospitality, and the artistry that defined every plate.

Chef Droisneau’s seafood-inspired menu was a feast not only for the palate but for all the senses. As someone who doesn’t typically enjoy eating fish, I was genuinely impressed by how he transformed each course (especially the three fish courses) into something elegant but unpretentious. Each course showcased a deep respect for the sea, crafted with creativity, finesse, and a touch of magic.

This trip has been a true celebration of the senses. It was a harmonious blend of culinary mastery, cultural richness, and timeless beauty; and I know the memory of this will stay with me for a lifetime.

Food Rating: 9.2/10

Price: €€€€

Address: anse de Corton, 30 Av. du Revestel, 13260 Cassis, France

Tel: +33 (0)4 9618-0000

Website: http://lavillamadie.com/

Opening Hours: 12:00pm - 1:30pm, 7:30pm - 9:00pm (Thu - Sun)

Le Yen Koï (Aix-en-Provence, FRANCE) ★★☆☆☆

Little nugget wanted some Chinese food to wrap up our day in Aix-en-Provence. I couldn't blame him after our deep run of French cuisine all week but it's nearly impossible to find decent Chinese dishes in town and so we elected for something similar, Japanese food.

To my pleasant surprise, finding a decent Japanese restaurant in the heart of Aix-en-Provence was not as difficult as I first thought. With the help of our Google Map app, we not only narrowed down our search to eventually find Le Yen Koï, but also managed to make an advance booking with just a few clicks.

This upscale Japanese restaurant is divided in a few separate areas. Close to the entrance was the sushi bar. 

Then, the teppanyaki counter. 

We finally found ourselves a quiet corner to park so we could enjoy some privacy.

Little one was so happy to see some Asian food for a change. 

Tonkatsu Ramen – The noodles were decent, so were the eggs and barbecued pork but the broth left something to be desired. What went wrong? I guess it tasted too much like the broth from our instant noodles. Not much depth of flavors. Just saltiness.  

California Roll – This tasted more like the ones we had in Hong Kong!

Yakisoba with chicken – Like the ramen, the Japanese fried noodles lacked the authentic flavors. I really didn't know if it's the sweet soy or......



I think I have said this on many different occasions. Living in Hong Kong is a true blessing, as we have easy access to authentic culinary delights like Italian pasta and pizza, as well as Japanese sushi and ramen, just to name a couple. The vibrant food scene in Hong Kong ensures that we can savor these flavors locally, offering a diverse range of options that cater to our cravings for these international cuisines without the hassle of traveling around. I don't think I can say enough about this.

Food Rating: 4.4/10

Price: €€€

Address: 4 Rue Paul Doumer, 13100 Aix-en-Provence, France

Tel: +33 (0)4 1205-5595

Website: https://leyen-aixenprovence.fr

Opening Hours: 12:00pm - 2:00pm daily, 7:00pm - 11:00pm (Sun - Thu), 7:00pm - 11:30pm (Fri - 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