Caen Restaurants

One my trip through Northern France in September 2006 I intended to eat in as many Michelin rated retaurants as I ( and a friend) could manage, so a gastronomic tour ensued! I stopped off for 'à la normande' lunch. Le Pessoir has a young (well 37) chef Ivan Vautier who has been awarded a michelin star, and his local classic regional dishes are to die for. I opted the 30 euro lunch menu which the food was out of this world in texture and taste....

Favorite Dish: Tartare de Maquereaux

An excellent menu at 13.90 Euros. I had Saumon Fume (Smoked Salmon) beautifully served. My husband had Soupe de Poisson. Both wonderful. We then both had Boeuf Provencale with Frites. Meat just melted in the mouth. We finished with cheese. We also had a bottle of the House Rose at 12 Euros. Again, excellent.

We had dinner the first night we were in Caen and had the €22 set menu.

The fish soup was excellent and very filling followed by vollaile and fish between us. Very palatable!

It was the most expensive meal we had on the whole trip but was very nice all the same.

Favorite Dish: Fish Soup.

This charming little restaurant is not in the city of Caen. You have to drive to St. Sylvain southeast of the city. It is definitely worth the trip!

We were renting a gite nearby so it was quite close for us but it is listed under Gastronomique Restaurants on the Caen Web site and it is a reasonable drive, about 20 minutes or 27 kilometers (17 miles).

We had a better overall experience the first time we ate there. The food was good both times except for wilted lettuce on the second visit. I listed my journal entries for both visits below.

Favorite Dish: We ate at the Auberge de la Crémaillère just across from the church and it was wonderful. We got the cheapest menu (19.90 euros) and it was a five-course meal. The waitress brought out a small bowl of cold confit of ham (we think) before dinner with cheese pastries. I chose the roasted pork in cider sauce and Ed got duck in beans (like a cassoulet). I had a ham and artichoke starter and Ed got the gazpacho with lemon sorbet. There was a splendid cheese board with local cheeses so we each tried three and all were good. My favorite was a Pont l’Évêque. This was followed by an apple tart on pastry crust topped with rich caramel ice cream . . . caramel apple! After dinner she brought out a tiered tray of tiny local candies, panoche, grape jellies and milk chocolate. Yum! What a fun restaurant, quaintly decorated with rose toile and gingham and walls hung with pastels and watercolors that were for sale. We will return!

This was our second visit and we were a little disappointed. They brought Ed the wrong starter and although it was a tasty fish soup . . . it wasn’t what he’d ordered. My salad had obviously old, wilted lettuce. Our main courses, pork (Ed) and for me, sanglier (wild boar) were delicious as was our apple dessert. The little candy tray arrived with coffee but had only two candies apiece instead of three on it. The service was a bit brusque too. Not sure if it was a bad night for them or just an off day.

The food was excellent both times except for the wilted lettuce. It is lovely and we definitely will return on a future visit.

When you visit Caen, you must see the chateau. There is a museum of Norman life, an exposition hall with varying exhibits and the Beaux Arts Museum (no chateau). The Beaux Arts has an excellent restaurant and it is very convenient. One of the two times we ate there it was a lovely day so we ate on the terrace and then inside on the cooler day. The terrace was more fun because you can people watch . . . a favorite past time.

It's a great place to take a break from your sightseeing and the food is excellent although I must admit the service was a bit spotty. The first time we had excellent service but noted a few nearby French couples having problems. The second time we weren't so fortunate and had to ask for various pieces of flatware throughout the meal. I must say, though, it was all dealt with in great good cheer. The staff may not have known the menu as well as they should nor did they know the flatware needs of the various dishes but they were cheerful, polite and friendly. We would definitely return.

Favorite Dish: Week one: We started with a hot fish appetizer en croute, pork medallions with roasted carrots, potatoes and chanterelle mushrooms in a well-seasoned cider-pork gravy. Asked our waiter to recommend a dessert and got a small round apple upside-down cake, caramel sorbet and caramel sauce . . . fantastique. We had great service but noticed others had a few problems; i.e. slow or nonexistent service. We know at least one of the couples was French so language wasn’t the problem. At any rate, we fared well and had a great time.

Week two: We had a salmon and sorbet starter. Ed got the pork medallions with stuffed potatoes, and I ordered osso buco with potatoes and chanterelles. We had a different and very young wait staff who were nice but a bit confused. I got a soup spoon instead of a marrow spoon and the French couples on either side of us had to send for particular flatware. The waitress couldn’t recommend a dessert and she brought all our coffee without spoons (or the obligatory chocolate). We did all request spoons. For dessert we ordered a sorbet with Grand Marnier and it was excellent. It was very nice . . . just not as well served as last week.

The food and service are very good. The descent into chaos that is the beginning of the 20th century is emotionally draining and the break of a full-service restaurant is definitely worth it. When the weather is nice, there is outdoor seating. We went on a rainy day so didn't try it outside!

We found the atmosphere friendly, restful and refreshing. We were ready to return to the rest of the Memorial afterwards.

Favorite Dish: There was a nice salad buffet to start. They had other choices if you weren't interested. We both chose the fish entrée and the apple sorbet with Calvados for dessert. There were several menu choices and service was a bit faster than usual in a French restaurant. The staff know you want to enjoy your lunch . . . but they also know you want to see the rest of the exhibits. You will not be rushed. However, if you want to hurry a bit, they are willing to help.

Just to the right of William the Conquerers castle is a place called Le Vaugueux. There are probably 10 different cafe's serving everything from local specialties to pizza. As there are not too many tourists, it appeared mostly locals were sitting around enjoying lunch. The area was pretty rough 800 years ago and the name comes from the "val of beggars" situated between the port and the castle.

Favorite Dish: I had a thin crust pizza with anchovies, capers and olives I can still taste.