On February 8, 2008, Dan and I went to the L’Auberge Provencal Bed and Breakfast Restaurant in Virginia.

Atmosphere: L’Auberge Provencal, nestled in the breathtaking Shenandoah Valley, exudes the warmth and charm of a cozy French country cottage. We dined in the Peach Room, a small circular dining area with floor-to-ceiling windows, beautifully decorated in peach wallpaper and color-coordinated curtains, replete with copper pots of various sizes hanging from the walls alongside plates and pictures of proud (no doubt French) roosters. If you’re looking for a little splash of romantic magic, you’ll find it here. In fact, Dan romanced me in this very room, and I am delighted to say that he is now my fiance!

Service: The service was immaculate. The host himself was extremely polite and dignified, lending an air of exclusivity to the restaurant, whereas our waiter was a bit more friendly, cracking a smile here and there, providing warmth and making us feel more comfortable in our surroundings. The waiter described each dish (preparation and ingredients) as he brought it out, which I think adds so much to the dining experience. The waiter also had excellent timing and knew when to interact with us and when to leave us to our romantic tete-a-tete.

Food: Ahhh the food. This was truly a dining experience to remember. Your only option is to order the Prix Fixe menu for a 5-course meal, but you have so many delightful choices from which to select! The 5-course meal is also a bit of a misnomer as the chef seems to mischievously add a dainty morsel here and there of his wild creations to keep your senses alert and engaged.

Our meal started with an “amuse bouche” of lamb with mint cream. The lamb itself was so flavorful and tender, I could have actually done without the mint cream. Then you have your choice of two appetizers. I had a perfectly balanced leek soup, where the fresh taste of leeks merged with a hint of cream and a surprising burst of sweetness from caramelized pear bits hidden within the depths. My second choice were scallops, cooked to perfection with a crispy exterior and soft interior, topped with fish roe to add an unexpected dash of salty goodness. Dan ordered the exotic “Venaisan Asiatique,” venison tenderloin sashimi with spicy hoisin glaze, mango and mint salad, sweet pea leaf and chiogga beet puree. This venison sashimi was pure heaven, and most definitely the highlight of the evening. If this is on the menu when you visit L’Auberge Provencale, it is not to be missed. The venison simply melts in the mouth, and accompanied by the beet puree and sweet pea leaf, it was a culinary adventure I wished would never end. Dan and I usually split our dishes in half, so we each get to try as many items on the menu as possible. I noticed that Dan was surreptitiously gazing at the last piece of venison on my plate, and it was an act of true love on my part to give him that last piece, all the while telling him that I was getting full. Dan’s second choice was grilled quail with pomegranate and a touch of spice served with sweet potato shoestrings and micro greens. I’m not sure how the chef managed this, but the quail tasted like a wild thing, as if I had gone out hunting in the wild and cooked a fresh quail on a campfire.

After gorging on these culinary delights, it was time for an intermission. We couldn’t possibly go on without a break. And the break came in the form of a gin and tonic sorbet. The refreshing sorbet was bathing in a shallow pool of liquor in a tasteful tipsy looking martini glass. The sorbet was just the thing to cool and cleanse my palate, and the untraditional addition of liquor made the intermission feel just a tad naughty, preparing me emotionally for the adventures to follow.

We were now brought our choice of entree. I had the lobster in butter sauce with risotto, and Dan had sauteed wild baramundi with olive oil poached baby potatoes, white asparagus and a blood orange and ginger emulsion. I have to say that the lobster, although delicious, was a bit disappointing. By this point, I was so accustomed to the chef’s unorthodox and thoroughly intoxicating creations, that the simple lobster in butter sauce was underwhelming. Lobster always seems to be paired with butter, and there was no deviation from the usual recipe: A solid performance, but not one to be remembered throughout the ages. With the wild baramundi, however, the chef struck gold again. The fish was cooked to perfection with crispy skin and flaky soft flesh. The fish itself tasted fresh and slightly sweet, and unexpectedly coupled with the blood orange and ginger emulsion, my palates danced another jig of happiness.

Of course, no meal can be complete without dessert. I opted for the pecan pie, and Dan got the basil chocolate tower and ice cream with pine nuts. The pecan pie also put in a solid performance: Sweet, warm and gooey, everything a pecan pie should be. The imagination prize, however, went to the basil chocolate tower. Whoever thought basil and chocolate, and for that matter, ice cream and pine nuts, would work so well together? Our chef, of course, couldn’t stop there where everyone would expect him to stop. He had to throw in one more surprise. We were presented with a bowl of doughnut holes with raspberry coulis. Hot and fresh from the kitchen, the doughnuts found their way into my mouth and were gone in the blink of an eye. Yumm…

Summary: L’Auberge Provencale’s chef has created a menu that is bold and daring in its imagination and exquisite in execution. The beautiful and romantic setting complimented and enhanced the dining experience. The meal is pricey, but if you’re looking to go somewhere for a special occasion, I highly recommend this enchanting restaurant.

Restaurant Information:

• Website: http://www.laubergeprovencale.com/restaurant.html
• Address: 13630 Lord Fairfax Hwy, Boyce, VA 22620
• Phone: 800.638.1702
• Price Range:
  • $80-$100 Prix Fixe Menu for a 5-course meal