Authentic Fine French Cuisine at Restaurant L'Idylle in Dieppe
Although New Brunswick has a large French population, it is not spread evenly throughout the province, so fans of fine French cuisine who don't live in or near French centres must travel to visit some of the best restaurants. These include Hotel Paulin in Caraquet, L'Auberge les Jardins just outside Edmundston, Maison Tait in Shediac, and, one of the newest and quite possibly the best, Restaurant L'Idylle in Dieppe, at 1788 Amirault St., on the road toward Memramcook from Moncton, along the Peticodiac.
L'Idylle will celebrate its two-year anniversary in August, marking its opening in this 1828 vintage Acadian home. The owners both hail from the Loire Valley in France, so the menu is unabashedly French in spirit. Chef Emmanuel Charretier and wife, hostess and sommelière Hélène Legras have created a quiet, idyllic restaurant in a historic setting with simple, elegant décor, including a back porch overlooking their garden, from which much of their veggies and berries are sourced.
On a recent visit, I enjoyed a decadent lunch with a friend in the dining room. L'Idylle will take reservations for lunch from Tuesday to Friday through the summer, but is mainly a supper location. They are closed Sundays. They have one menu with no reduced portions or prices for lunch, so going splits may be in order.
I immediately noticed the plates, which turned out to be hand-painted - each unique - by Hélène's father. They are gorgeous but, sadly, not for sale. Also, each table was set with a wine glass and a polished pewter water glass; this makes a great first impression.
Before our appetizers arrived we were treated to a delightful amuse bouche of lightly flavoured salmon, tomato concasser and a sage leaf "beigne" (doughnut is the closest translation).
My appetizer was samosas stuffed with warm goat cheese from Au Fond Des Bois farm and served alongside fresh greens in a vinaigrette and fig compote ($13.50). Emmanuel uses local suppliers whenever possible and shops the Dieppe Farmer's market regularly. Au Fond Des Bois is the cheese operation of Domaine Bellerive, overlooking the Saint Nicholas river near Richibucto.
We shared a bottle of 2006 Chateau De Brizay Sauvignon Blanc, a crisp, minerally and fruity white from Haut Poitou in the Loire Valley. It was a perfect match with the appetizer. This makes it my Wine of the Week. It's a great buy, a poor man's Sancerre, at NB Liquor for $16.99.
The wine selection at L'Idylle is small, and French only, but does include some nice Burgundy selections, although the only by-the-glass are basic B&G house wines. Food of this level deserves higher quality house wine. We discussed the wine buying system in Canada with Hélène and she acknowledged it had its frustrations, but also mentioned she is special ordering wines from the Loire. That should be very interesting and worth another visit to L'Idylle.
My main dish was Duck Magret (breast) in a port wine sauce ($32.50), again from a local supplier, La Ferme du Diamant from Cormier Village, not so far from Shediac. The dish was savoury and delicious, set off by a mix of fresh vegetables. My friend had the free range wild boar from Brabant farm in Sussex, topped with pan-cooked foie gras ($34.50). It was fantastic.
One cannot skip dessert at a restaurant like this, so we shared the dessert of the day: a wonderful concoction centred around in-season California figs. Not surprisingly, the coffee was excellent too. To top this off, a little parfait of garden raspberries and strawberries arrived as a surprise.
Restaurant L'Idylle should be on the top of your list of restaurants to visit if you crave a treat of fine French cuisine. Call 860-6641 for reservations.
Cheers!
Craig Pinhey is a writer and sommelier, available for private tastings. Visit him at www.frogspad.ca.
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