Restaurant l'Ecussion    September 2003





Hostellerie de l'Ecussion
Restaurant
Place Malmédy
21200, Beaune
France
Tel.  +33 3 80 24 03 82
Fax. +33 3 80 24 74 02
l'Ecusson Site
          would probably look a little better without the white van . . . .

Actually it's good to 'now and then' choose a restaurant outside the centre of Beaune - after this meal I needed the walk. The portions are not too big, so I can only assume it was something to do with the wine. If you walk from the Place Carnot and follow the Rue d'Alsace, you soon leave the centre and cross the three lane ring road, going straight on to the Place Madelaine and just a little further to the Place Malmédy. This takes about 12-15 minutes from the Place Carnot and follows just one straight route - important if you're a little 'tired' for the return!

I'd read that this was a very good choice so decided to take the walk. Apparently they won a Michelin star not long after opening - but are currently without. Jean-Pierre Senelet is the Chef and before opening l'Ecussion was the fish chef at Taillevent restaurant in Paris.

A quick telephone call at 6:00pm secured an 8:00pm table for one. The warm and welcoming interior was about half full on the Thursday evening that I was there. Once seated I was presented with a big and heavy winelist and a (now) relatively modest menu. The menu had a choice of (if I remember correctly) three fixed price alternatives and the 'Carte' selection. I plumped for the interestingly named "Respect, Sagesse, Liberté" menu for 48€. This provided approximately 2½ hours of fun with the following selection:
  • Amuse en Bouche

    • an impressive 'extended' shot glass of creamy coloured, rather fishy, top layer and darker, highly tasty and quite salty bottom layer
  • Foie gras de canard à la bière brune de Bourgogne

    • served with a slice of warm gingerbread - though one slice was not enough - and chutney on a tasting spoon - rather good
  • Langoustines rôties à la polenta

    • the langoustines were coated (breadcrumb-style) with polenta on what looked like a vegetable risotto that had a tang of celery/celeriac - worked pretty well
  • Côte de veau cuite au sautoir, jus sirupeaux au balsamique blanc

    • the veal had a coating of chopped onion/shallot and was pink all the way through, this was a nice match with the Pommard, and the meat tasted better and better the closer you got to the bone
  • Fromages de notre sélection

    • four cheeses chosen (for me) from 25+, the second was a goat's cheese the third was runny and very like Munster - that's the best I can remember - it was starting to get late!
  • Gourmandise de l'instant

    • an interesting combination of a sorbet on large tasting spoon and a 'muscat trifle' in a wine glass - actually quite cool . . .
  • Coffee and Petits fours
    • But I hear you crying out - was there no wine? - hmmm, now I come to think about it, yes there was! The winelist is pretty strong with the occasional older (1970's) bottle, otherwise 2000-1995 are the most common vintages with Coche-Dury and Leroy well represented - though you need to check availability - and the price! I was tempted to try Domaine d'Auveney's Aligoté, but dining alone I chose from the reasonable half bottle selection instead;
    1998 Bonneau du Martray, Corton-Charlemagne
    Light yellow. The nose doesn't burst from the glass quite like the 1997 currently does. With time and swirling you can coax out a little sugar coated pineapple. The mildly oaky palate has good acidity, understated concentration and a finish that builds and builds - I expect the opposite with Corton-Charlemagne! Seemed fatter with the langoustine and not bad with the goat's cheese. Overall a bit disappointing
    1993 Comte Armand, Pommard Clos des Epeneaux
    Medium-plus ruby colour - fading a little towards the rim, but almost impossible to guess the age. The high toned nose is still primary, though if I had to try and put a name to the fruit I'd say crushed raspberries. The palate has good fat, very good acidity and lovely concentrated fruit. The tannins are svelte and well managed and the length is very impressive. Actually this is a very refined wine that should only get better - leave for 5 years if you can keep your hands off it!

    Some interesting and well worked flavour combinations, so a restaurant that I enjoyed and which was well worth the walk!
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