It
is in the nature of those who seek perfection never to be satisfied.
Onwards and upwards is their constant cry: to stand still would mean
slipping backwards. Every sinew must be strained to improve and improve
again. So it is with the greatest Chefs and hoteliers. And among this
number, none is greater than the brilliant Jean-Michel Lorain, whose
picture I here present for you. At the tender age of 27, he became the
youngest Chef ever to be awarded three Michelin stars. But the idea that
he would rest upon these laurels was anathema to him. He has worked
tirelessly over the years to make his establishment a more and more
tempting destination for the discerning traveller. On my most recent
visit to his delightful hotel on the banks of the River Yonne in
Burgundy, I found him full of enthusiasm for the latest addition to the
facilities of this famous gastronomic shrine. For La Côte St-Jacques now
has a wonderful new spa.
From
the photographs, I think you will gain some sense of the spa’s elegance
and spaciousness. As I wandered around its treatment rooms, its swimming
pool, its Turkish bath and its jacuzzi, even I – not one of nature’s spa
people – felt the lure of this sort of pampering, with its emphasis on
aromas and colours. A bit of harmony and serenity is certainly quite
appealing, is it not? I rather liked the sound of the Anti-Age face
treatment – an hour and three-quarters which, it is promised, leaves the
complexion ‘radiant’. That would have been 135 euros well spent.
But time pressed, so I returned to my billet on the
first floor. This was no penance, for room 38 was comfortable and – like
all the accommodation here – remarkably good value for money. Let me
describe what was provided for 375 euros a night, bed and breakfast for
two. In the substantial hallway, apart from the fitted wardrobes and
private safe, were three doors: to the loo, to the bathroom and to the
bedroom. In the last was sufficient space for a sofa and an easy chair,
and – through its French window – was a terrace, overlooking the river,
with a table and four chairs. Air-conditioned, with spotlights and an
impressive hardwood floor, this was a stylish apartment.
I liked the spacious bathroom, too. Surrounded by
rustic tiles and mosaic, I was able to soak comfortably in its large tub
and then wrap myself in the 5-foot white bath towels. With a separate
shower and a make-up area, this was a well-planned space.
Bathed,
shaved and dressed in suit, (starched) collar and tie, there was a
spring in my step as I went downstairs and sought out the sparkling
copper lift. This is the remarkable machine which transports gourmets
down to the dining rooms. Always there is a little tingling in my spine
when I am descending thus, for I know that I am about to experience the
highlight of any visit to La Côte St-Jacques – dinner from one of the
finest kitchens in the world.
Greeted by the maitre d’ – the courteous and
efficient Thierry Gasparian, from Lyon – I was soon settled in a
wonderfully supportive armchair of wood and leather. (I am occasionally
asked why I so often make a point of mentioning the chairs in
restaurants. Believe me, if you have ever suffered with a bad back, you
will know that for many of us the chair plays a crucial part in the
dining experience.) I was in a room of modest size, lit by wrought iron
chandeliers and spotlights. Before me was a table with a white cloth, on
which stood glassware by Riedel (from the Restaurant range). Through the
plate glass windows the evening darkened and the lights on the opposite
bank of the river began to twinkle. As the waiters and waitresses in
black tie moved purposefully about their business, it occurred to me
that few moments are more exquisitely pleasurable than this brief,
pregnant pause – after one has ordered, but before the food arrives – at
a Michelin three-star restaurant in the heart of France.
Monsieur
Lorain has had his trials over the years. In 2001, after he had been
immersed in a major expansion and refurbishment of the hotel, the
Michelin inspectors (in my judgment, wrongly) took away his third star.
But in 2004 it returned. I can confirm that he is now cooking at the
height of his powers, and that a meal at La Côte St-Jacques is, truly, a
thrilling experience. (A 6 course set meal is offered at 160 euros, and
the menu surprise is 175-195 euros, depending upon its dishes.
My four courses from the carte were 194 euros. Given the standard of the
food, these prices represent good value.)
I began with warm centre cut of salmon “in the guise of herring and
potato salad” with sweet onion custard. Like all the dishes on the
carte, this was substantial. Enthusiastic trenchermen will not go hungry
here. Its quality was startling. In both conception and execution I
could not fault it. Mr Lorain clearly knows where to obtain the very
finest salmon, and the combination of the fish with onion is, of course,
irresistible. He also understands how our eyes inform our taste buds.
This was a pretty dish.
Its robust flavours contrasted with the subtlety and
lightness of my second course. These little fillets of red mullet and
sardines, fried and in crispy tarts, were tiny explosions of
sophistication – set off perfectly by aubergine ‘caviar’ and tomato
confit. Then it was one of the finest beef dishes I have ever
encountered. Indeed, the first taste of this Hereford rib steak took me
straight back to my childhood. I had thought that such full, gorgeous,
overpowering beef flavours had gone forever. I shall say it was
wonderful, but that word does not nearly do it justice. It was served
with macaroni with foie gras and truffle stuffing and confit of baby
turnips – splendid, indeed, but I would have been happy to have the beef
on its own, such was its miraculous quality. I ended with
vanilla-poached rhubarb, with custard of hibiscus blossoms, peanut ice
cream and rhubarb sorbet.
As
you would expect, the cellar is crowded with the great and the good. I
counted 43 chablis, with prices up to 210 euros for the 1997 Grand Cru
Blanchots, Réserve de L’Obédience, Michel Laroche. Montrachets go up to
the 2000 DRC for 2,885 euros. Red burgundies include the 2000
Romanée-Conti for 3,095 euros. Yet there are lots of more modestly
priced bottles, and the 73 red Côtes de Nuits begin with a 2005
Marsannay for 40 euros. And, if you are determined to drink claret,
there are some of the legendary offering from Bordeaux – like 1928
Cheval Blanc (3,300 euros), 1945 Lafite (3,500 euros), 1982 Margaux
(1,960 euros) and 1988 Le Pin (2,520 euros).
Assistant sommelier Guillaume Favreau, from Nantes,
proved a most amiable and well-informed guide to the delights of the
list. He recommended two excellent bottles. My white was the local wine,
chablis – golden, with good acidity and with a nose bursting with pears
and green apples (1er Cru Forêt, J-M Raveneau, 2002 – 60 euros). And my
red had that attractive nose of rotting vegetation I like from Burgundy,
with hints of red cherries in the mouth (Bourgogne Haute Côtes de Nuits,
Jayer Gilles, 2004 – 64 euros).
At
breakfast the following day, I spied a bust of Bacchus, the god of wine,
in the garden. Grateful for the quality of my drinking over dinner, I
went over to say ‘Thank you’. You may view the moment of this brief
encounter in the accompanying picture. Then I returned to my table, to
be served my morning comestibles by a smart young lady. Off Limoges
porcelain I ate good bread and brioche and boiled eggs with toast
‘soldiers’.
In a modern car I think you could get to Joigny from
the Eurotunnel in around three hours. (My elderly Royce can manage it in
four.) This means that it is easily accessible from England, with the
journey under the Channel now just an undemanding 35 minutes. Joigy is
also well placed for those of us who like to whizz to the South of
France, but who need a stopover in the north of Burgundy.
When you make it to
Joigny, you will be at the gates of Gastronomic Heaven. And not only
will you be able to eat and drink superbly well; you will also be able
to luxuriate in the new spa. And who know what else will soon be
provided for your delight? For Jean-Michel Lorain – driven, brilliant,
inspired – is always seeking perfection.
