Restuarant Review: Restaurant Puech, Calvinet

Eve Middleton visits Restaurant Puech in Calvinet…

Restaurant Puech, Hotel Beausejour,

15340 Calvinet. Tel: (Fr) 4 71 49 91 68

www.cantal-restaurant-puech.com

Menus from €26

Sometimes the most inconspicuous of locations can reveal the brightest of gems, especially when it comes to regional cooking in France. Tucked away in the heart of the rural Cantal d�partement – best known for its delicious cheese of the same name – the unassuming fa�ade of the H�tel Beaus�jour in the small village of Calvinet hides the Michelin-starred Restaurant Puech. With chef and hotel owner Louis-Bernard Puech at the helm, the restaurant showcases the best of the area, including home-grown and seasonal produce.

The menu plaisir gourmand (€47 without wine) began with a velout� l�ger de ch�taigne, with the soft flavours of the chestnut offset in the silky-smooth texture of the soup. The ensuing oeuf paysan en cro�te de Salers highlighted the tang of the local cheese and was accompanied by blanched baby vegetables dressed in vinaigrette. Followed by a delicately tender slice of veal served with a comforting Cantal macaroni cheese, the two dishes paved the way for the tempting cheese platter which included the chef’s own creation rolled in a dried fruit and nut crust.

The crowning glory of the menu was L’Authentique dessert; a combination of sabl� � la ch�taigne, stewed apples and chestnut honey ice-cream, it left no doubt that the most modest of settings can reveal the most spectacular of feasts.

Eve Middleton