Tuesday, December 01, 2009

The Bouchon Lyonnais



On a visit to Lyon, you can have one great meal in a bouchon, and this can be a definitive event. Your first meal in a bouchon tends to form an imprint. The dining experience is so unique and your gustatory pleasure has been so aroused that it extends down to the place in your mind for memories that will eventually become life stories. The next place simply can't measure up.

You might sink your spoon delicately into the majestic communal creme caramel at Chez Paul and from then on out, any bouchon that doesn't have it, isn't... perfect. You might feel enveloped in good cheer at Le Garet and then never feel that satisfaction the same way anywhere else. You might get that tangy delicious poulet au vinaigre that seems to set off a delicate counterpoint with the austere flourescent-lit hole-in-the-wall atmosphere at Cafe des Federations. After that, nothing can compete.

Legends are born from these gustatory milestones in the mind of a food enthusiast well after they've had a chance to simmer and mijote, mixed with the delight and relish in telling the story again. In my opinion, every single one of Lyon's official bouchons, the ones bearing the Authentique Bouchon Lyonnais label, are going to build personal rich gustatory memories, but most of all, each bouchon remains unique.



The best way for me to explain the authentique Bouchon Lyonnais is to explore what it is as a genre, then get into the nitty gritty of what makes a number of these individual restaurants worth your while.



Since this subject is too vast for one post, I am devoting many more to the Lyonnais Bouchon, making it a label. Look forward to the restaurants' stories, their quirks, visual details, menu items, news worth noting, what a Lyonnais bouchon was, is, and what it's not.

Labels: , ,

18 Comments:

Anonymous noëlle {simmer down!} said...

Love the photomontages! I visited Lyon about 10 years ago after a year-long teaching assistantship in Toulouse, and at the time I was traveling on a very tight budget with no room for restaurant "splurges". Stuff like this makes me wish I had just busted out the credit card and had the experience though. Ah well, I suppose it's a reason to return one day...
(Incidentally, I do recall a Toulouse restaurant simply named "Le Bouchon" which served complimentary bread & pâté de campagne, making it a favorite spot for broke students! I wonder if they are still around...)

7:04 PM, December 01, 2009  
Blogger Carolyn said...

How very cool to see the inside of a bouchon in Lyon. Here is a post on 18thC bouc[h]ons: http://18thccuisine.blogspot.com/2007/09/boucons-rolled-veal-fillets-with.html

BTW: love the photos on the left of your blog--great looking food!

9:56 PM, December 01, 2009  
Anonymous Amy said...

Really looking forward to reading more of these posts! I would love to return to Lyon one day to go to a bouchon. I never got around to trying out Le Bouchon des Filles.

10:16 PM, December 01, 2009  
Blogger christine said...

Mmmm, you're going to make me so hungry I may have to hop on a train soon!

11:32 PM, December 01, 2009  
Blogger rockinloubylou said...

It all looks so delicious. And the photography is amazingly good. I look forward to learning more about these fantastic places.
country mouse xx

4:26 PM, December 02, 2009  
Blogger Unknown said...

I love the Bouchons in Lyon. Some of the best meals I had in that fabulous city & I always made sure to take friends when they came to visit. I can't wait to read more about them in your coming posts. I miss Lyon very much.

5:22 PM, December 02, 2009  
Blogger Robert Walker said...

Just discovered your blog! Great shots!

4:15 PM, December 03, 2009  
Anonymous winstrol said...

im sooo hungry right now:))

3:39 AM, December 05, 2009  
Blogger Deana Sidney said...

It makes me want to jump on a plane... you are a one-person tourist board for Lyon!

8:57 PM, December 05, 2009  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

since I'm the luckiest from all of us because I live in Geneva.... I look forward getting all the great bouchons address :).
will think of you all while eating in one of them, soon ;)
Ciao !
corinne
PS :merci Lucy pour tes billets & superbes photos :)

5:29 PM, December 08, 2009  
Anonymous Dillon said...

I've read about Bouchons in Lyon that specialised in offal.
Do they still exist?
Are Bouchons generally kid friendly?

Dillon

10:46 AM, December 09, 2009  
Blogger Irene said...

My taste buds are gearing up just at the thought! How glad I am to have discovered your blog.

1:46 AM, December 10, 2009  
Anonymous Suzanne said...

looking at these pictures is a mouth watering experience!

4:47 AM, December 14, 2009  
Blogger Jann said...

the food looks terrific ~beautiful Bouchons in your area! thanks for the great photos and info~

9:20 PM, December 20, 2009  
Anonymous peteyb said...

just found your blog thru Facebook. I will be reading this one frequently. Love it. The pictures are awesome as well.

4:52 AM, December 30, 2009  
Blogger gorrelljk said...

My wife and I are preparing to move to Lyon in the next 2-3 months. Your blog is enough to get our mouths watering! Beautiful photos!

10:12 AM, January 09, 2010  
Blogger Mike T. said...

I cannot wait for new entries on this topic!

5:22 AM, March 23, 2010  
Anonymous Sandy said...

My boyfriend informed me we were going out for a romantic French dinner. We were thoroughly disappointed. The seating was cramped. The server, while friendly, could not explain the difference between two red wines.

11:20 AM, July 21, 2011  

Post a Comment

<< Home