Unlike further north on most menus in Normandy where calvados is the order of the day, the menu at Le Chasse Maree, a restaurant on the port in Brittany’s Auray is a sheer seafood delight.
For drinks, the menu had the traditional Kir of course as you’ll find pretty much anywhere in France, but also rum orange drinks, mojitos, martinis, pina coladas, punch planners, whiskey and local ciders. Ciders are common throughout France and Brittany is no different. I am told the Brittans love their beer much more than their wine, which isn’t surprising given its Britagne influence.
While seafood is the order of the day, they had a variety of meat dishes on the menu as well.
Unlike most other restaurants I have tried in France (bear in mind that I haven’t visited the Riveria now in many years, so this comment excludes the south), the menu selection overall was generally much lighter, with seafood as it’s core.
Sure they had foie gras on the menu as well as duck, however appetizers included seared salmon and scallops for appetizers as well as 6, 9 or a dozen oysters, all at reasonable prices. I found the oysters (pictured above) to be tastier than off northern Normandy’s coasts, but it could just be a taste preference based on what I’ve grown more accustomed to over the years in New England and off the coast of Nova Scotia and Canada’s waters.
I tried the fresh cod with vegetables with a tepid citrus vinaigrette which was not only fresh, but tender and light. Yum! I added just a tad of lemon and tasted with a glass of Chablis — all after the oysters of course. Also worth mentioning was their scrumptious fish soup, which they served with croutons, a parmesan cheese and rouille, which is a dark yellow whipped creamy concoction, that appeared to include butter and garlic. Yum!!!
Common in Normandy and Brittany alike are mussels, so you shouldn’t leave the coast without trying them. You can often get them with a cheese sauce (in this case gorgonzola cheese), with cream or in traditional style or try the sampler seafood plate with whelks, clams, oysters, crab and winkles.
They also did a delicious scallop entree but done a little differently than you might expect — served with chorizo and mushroom risotto.
Details:
Le Chasse Maree
11 Place Saint-Sauveur, 56400
Auray France
Tele: 02.97.56.50.46
Renee Blodgett is the founder of We Blog the World. The site combines the magic of an online culture and travel magazine with a global blog network and has contributors from every continent in the world. Having lived in 10 countries and explored nearly 80, she is an avid traveler, and a lover, observer and participant in cultural diversity.
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