La Table de la Bergerie

La Table de la Bergerie – Dinner in a Vineyard:

Of all the meals we ate on the recent press trip to Angers, this was much my favourite.  Now, apart from the obvious amusement on my part at the joy of my companions on the setting (we were, literally, in a small building on the edge of a vineyard, drinking the wines they produced there to accompany the meal), the food was astonishingly good.  The chef, David Guitton, trained with Alain Ducasse and Joël Robuchon, working in the USA, London and Monaco, before he met and married the winemaker’s daughter.  And, proposed opening a restaurant.  It’s not grand, it’s not fancy.  But, the food and service is immaculate and you feel as if you are eating in someone’s private dining room.  Food is carefully sourced from local suppliers where possible (all listed) and there’s a real feeling that this is a labour of love.

The kitchen at La Table de la Bergerie is tiny, with just two chefs preparing food for around 25 covers.  So, the menu is kept simple, with up to four course each with two choices of dish.

The dishes were immaculately presented and very tasty.

This plate of prawns, winkles and warm cucumber in a light cream and saffron sauce was delicate and beautifully balanced.

I followed it with ‘Pichana de boeuf’.  I’d anticipated this would be heavy and very spicy…but, the reality was a tender and imaculately seasoned portion of Angus beef.  The photo doesn’t do the dish justice, because by now the light was fading and I didn’t want to try using flash in a small and rather intimate restaurant.

I would have loved to try the strawberry dessert.  But, I am trying really hard NOT to give in and suffer the rash I get the following day.  So, instead I had a trio of chocolate desserts.

A four course tasting menu with matched wines will cost you around 65 euros.

If you are in the area it’s really worth making the journey and trying the food.

La Table de la Bergerie
La Bergerie
49380 Champ Layon