Lyon – Le Bouchon
Le Bouchon
Lyon in the department Rhone has become my new favourite city since living in the Haute Savoie. How lucky was I to find myself living in the Rhone Alps region of France only an hour and a half from the gastronomic capital of France. There are some 3500 restaurants in Lyon including the famous Bouchon district in the old part of the city (le Vieux ville). A Bouchon is a type of restaurant in Lyon, serving traditional Lyonnaise cuisine. The dishes are mainly meaty, full fat and all parts of the animals. These restaurants are normally small, family run and have a great warm, friendly atmosphere in a traditionally decorated style. Typical dishes you would expect to find would be Fois gras, salad lyonnaise, boudin noir (blood sausage), Oeufs Meurette (eggs poached in a red wine sauce). Onglet de boeuf, tablier de sapeur (tripe), Rognons de veau (veal kidneys). The culinary delights found in a Bouchon are more substantial dishes, using fats and big flavours; not the French nouvelle cuisine that Lyon has become known for since the 1960s mainly thanks to the world renown chef Paul Bocuse.
On a recent visit to Lyon, we were recommended (by our neighbour a native Lyonnaise) to try Le Tire Bouchon. This traditional Bouchon in the heart of Old Lyon on the aptly named rue du Boeuf was a real find. We were warmly greeted by the owner and immediately made to feel at home in this small restaurant, which felt more like his dining room – but then I guess it is! Us tourists may have felt the decor a bit tired but to me, this just added to the authentic experience. The evening we spent in Le Tire Bouchon was a wonderful complete dining experience and great value for money. Booking is advisable. I can’t profess to be an expert on the Bouchons of Lyon yet, so far I have visited four Bouchons in Lyon and I intend to try as many as I can! I’ll keep you posted…
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Creme de lentilles et lardons
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Oeufs meurette |
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Quenelle de brochet et son gateau de foie de volaille
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Onglet de boeuf sauce St. Marcellin
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NB: sorry the quality of these photos is not good, they were taken with my phone, but I think a pictorial story – even a bad one tells a better story…
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