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Restaurant - La Couronne d'Or August 2002 |
La Couronne d'Or
10, Rue Principale
68220 Leyman
France
Tel. +33 389 685 804
Couronne Site
Leymen is just over the border from Switzerland in France, and is very much a commuter village for Basel, hence, you are just as likely to hear Basel-Deutsch spoken on the streets as French. You can make the trip from Basel on a number 10 tram, journey-time is 30 minutes to Leymen. Then a 5 minute downhill walk to the restaurant, remembering of course, that what goes down must come up again for the return journey!
When you enter the restaurant, you first come upon a small bar area, then into the restaurant proper. The main room is open and airy, like an old church hall, with plenty of wooden cupboards around the walls. Dress can be casual or formal - it's up to you. Outside you will find perhaps the finest 'outdoor toilets' you're ever likely to come across, fortunately, with a covered walkway in case of rain.
The menu is split into starters, vegetarian, fish, meat and suggestions. The main courses arrive on metal platters which are placed on frames with candles at the bottom (like chinese restaurants) to keep warm, and you just help yourself. The food is always very well prepared, and this particular day was generous in quantity. The wine-list has a good Alsacienne collection, the rest being dominated by low to medium rank French from a number of regions. I chose a half bottle of Trimbach's 1995 Clos St Hune (€32) and a bottle of a Languedoc red who's name I've forgotten (!) for €24.
So the 1995 Trimbach, Riesling Clos Saint Hune. Medium yellow. Nose is concentrated with lemony notes and the barest hint of grapefruit - something a little deeper, possibly oak influence, but no kerosene. The dry palate has good intense fruit and excellent acidity, and a strong mineral streak. This is the certainly a superb 'dry' style riesling, and very good value for a restaurant price.
For 4 people, we paid €185, though €56 was for wine.
Informal, good food & value and a restaurant that I keep going back to.
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