Villa Saint-Germain

A romantic escapade in Oudon, a small village on the banks of the Loire, where time passes slowly. In a cosy, slightly baroque setting, you’ll savour contemporary cuisine, cooked with exotic spices. The chef whips up prawn ravioles, jus corsé, foam made with tonka beans, supreme of roast guinea fowl, petals of Aomori garlic, and the chocolate-ginger fingers with espuma de maracudja (passion fruit).

Examples of main courses:
Spicy crab and tuna, tangy vinaigrette, mango and gomasio.
Roast sea bass, jus d’une bouillabaisse au curcuma et citronnelle (lemongrass).
Lemon tart “2012 version”, shortbread/tonka beans.
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Lunch: M T W T F S S / €13.50/€16.50
Dinner: M T W T F S S / menu €26
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170 rue Alfonse Fouschard
44521 Oudon
Tél. 02 51 14 10 04

Villa Mon Rêve

Owners’ change, this page is no longer up to date.

The food here is the expression of Gérard Ryngel’s (an important figure in Nantes’ culinary scene) unfailing love for ingredients from the region: fish from the Loire River, local poultry, Curé Nantais cheese, lamb lettuce from Nantes, vintage Muscadets, etc. His cuisine, which is as precise as it is exquisite and traditional, continues to satisfy his faithful customers. The sea and the river, the country and the forest are invited to this generous table. The wine list is nothing short of staggering, with roughly 100 Loire wines!

Examples of main courses:
Fresh frog’s legs, dipped, cooked au Gros Plant (wine) et aux herbes, cream sauce.
Eel aux herbes vertes from local market gardeners in Nantes.
Vanilla millefeuille, raspberry coulis.
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Lunch: M T W T F S S / €28.50/€34.50
Dinner: M T W T F S S / Fixed price menu: €42.50
Price range (main courses): €25-€38
Children’s menu: €12
Handicapped person can access to the room

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2 levée de la Divatte
44115 Basse-Goulaine
Tél. 02 40 03 55 50
www.villa-mon-reve.com

Restaurant de la Vallée

In the heart of the old city of Clisson, Restaurant de la Vallée blends the charms of an exceptional environment with the joys of cuisine. Located on the banks of the Sèvre River with a superb view of the castle, it offers you a journey meandering through regional and ethnic flavours. The gourmet-lover’s heart sways from foie gras au Muscadet vendanges tardives (“late-harvest Muscadets”), Tahitian-style fish, or civet de chevreuil façon hachis Parmentier (venison stew in a shepherd’s pie) and fish samosa with ginger.

Examples of main courses:
Entrée Belle-Ile-en-Mer et Marie-Galante.
Crispy spring roll of confit rack of lamb, jus de sangria.
Tentation chocolat et piment, Tonka bean ice cream.
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Lunch: M T W T F S S / Fixed price menu: €22
Dinner: M T W T F S S / Fixed price menu: €29
Price range (main courses): €17 – €21
Children’s menu: €12
Handicapped person can access to the room

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1 rue de la Vallée
44190 Clisson
Tél. 02 40 54 36 23
www.restaurant-delavallee.com

Le Pélican

A restaurant that has the merit of existing in the middle of a vineyard and using its surroundings to create a natural cuisine which reveals the freshness of its ingredients throughout the different seasons. Nougat de foie gras à l’Armagnac, tuile au miel (honey), onion confit à la grenadine (pomegranate); tartare of duck, légumes dans toutes leurs splendeurs (“vegetables in all their splendor”), peppermint vinaigrette; charlotte of mackerel and smoked eel, etc. Excellent value for money. And, this year, Le Pélican has changed its interior!

Examples of main courses:
Petit pain de merlu de nos côtes (Loire River hake) and langoustine.
Saddle of rabbit d’Anjou, boned and cooked at a low temperature.
Ivresse au chocolat.
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Lunch: M T W T F S S / €19/€23
Dinner: M T W T F S S / Fixed price menu: €23
Children’s menu: €10
Handicapped person can access to the room and the toilets

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13 place Georges Gaudet
44140 Geneston
Tél. 02 40 04 77 88
www.restaurantlepelican.fr

Manoir de la Boulaie

Admirers of chef Laurent Saudeau – with two Michelin stars in his chef’s hat – praise him as being a man capable of making every last bite of his culinary creations incredibly memorable! John dory coated in vanilla and cardamom, royale d’oursins (sea urchins), lobster and Jerusalem artichoke, or cristalline de fraises pistachée (“pistachioed” strawberries), sangria ice cream, spiced crumble… these dishes will pull you into a whirlwind of emotions, magnified by beautiful setting of this “folie nantaise”. Service is careful and serious and the elegant tables are well-spaced apart. Two-course prix-fixe lunchtime menu is very meticulous (€38).

Examples of main courses:
Thick slice of red mullet with Gillardeau oysters, compote of chorizo Iberico.
Spirale of spaghetti and langoustines, veal sweetbreads and cocos de Paimpol (beans).
Dessert: Blackcurrant / Fennel / “Taggiasca” Olives.
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Lunch: M T W T F S S / Fixed price menu: €38
Dinner: M T W T F S S / Fixed price menu: €78
Price range (main courses): €44-€49
Children’s menu: €22
Handicapped person can access to the room and the toilets

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33 rue Chapelle-Saint-Martin
44115 Haute-Goulaine
Tél. 02 40 06 15 91
www.manoir-de-la-boulaie.fr

La Divate

A gourmet stop along the famous Route de la Divatte, which follows the gentle sway of the Loire River. A pleasant atmosphere that is conducive to conversation, made up of stone walls, black and white photos and pretty tables where you can delight in the culinary specialities of the Loire banks: eel and frog’s legs en persillade (parsley and butter garnish), filet of pike-perch beurre blanc, croustillant d’andouille de Guéméné (crispy andouille dumpling), veal sweetbreads and lobster in a parcel. Excellent Loire wines.

Examples of main courses:
Croustillant d’andouille de Guémené, baked apples and cinnamon, cider sauce.
Pan-fried eel en persillade.
Crémet Nantais with seasonal fruit, red berry coulis
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Lunch: M T W T F S S / €14.80/€19
Dinner: M T W T F S S / Fixed price menu: €22
Price range (main courses): €21-€23
Children’s menu: €9
Handicapped person can access to the room and the toilets

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28 levée de la Divatte
44450 Saint-Julien-de-Concelles
Tél. 02 40 54 19 66

Clémence

A mythical place and chic hideaway on the banks of the Loire River where Clémence Lefeuvre invented le beurre blanc. A gastronomical journey is possible with prix-fixe menus like the six-course “Dégustation”, or “Tradition des bords de Loire”, where you sample excellent dishes made with ingredients from small neighbouring farmers and fishermen, (saltimbocca of monkfish, risotto with white truffle oil, prosciutto or prawns and roast mangoes marinated in ginger and cumbawa) will leave you breathless. The same goes for the lunchtime prix-fixe menus at €15, €18 and €24 during the week.

Examples of main courses:
Grilled foie gras, poached in ramen broth, Granny Smith apple.
Pike-perch au beurre blanc façon Clémence with vegetables.
Flavourful trilogie of crèmes brûlées.
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Lunch: M T W T F S S / €15/€19
Dinner: M T W T F S S / €26/€34
Children’s menu: €10
Handicapped person can access to the room and the toilets

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91 levée de la Divatte
44450 Saint-Julien-de-Concelles
Tél. 02 40 36 03 18
www.restaurantclemence.com

La Bonne Auberge

In the charming setting of a 19th century structure with an open terrace overlooking a garden, you’ll discover subtly classic cuisine, where ingredients taken from the local farmer’s market are treated with meticulolus care. The menu is filled with dishes bearing enticing names like chausson de Saint-Jacques fumet truffes (turnover of scallops and truffle fumet), croustillant de homard crème de homard (crispy lobster dumpling, lobster cream), rissole de caille (quail) in foie gras sauce, noix de veau de lait (tenderloin of milk-fed veal) with wild mushrooms. For dessert, we hesitate between the fondant au café in single malt cream, and the délice au chocolat amer (bitter chocolate). Thoughtful service.

Examples of main courses:
Croustillant (crispy dumpling) of langoustines and veal sweetbreads.
Sea bass en écailles de pommes de terre nouvelles (with new potato “scales”).
Chariot of aged cheeses.
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Lunch: M T W T F S S / €14.50/€21.50
Dinner: M T W T F S S / Fixed price menu: €42
Price range (main courses): €27-€42
Children’s menu: €12
Handicapped person can access to the room

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1 rue Olivier de Clisson
44190 Clisson
Tél. 02 40 54 01 90

Le Bistrot Nantais

A hommage to the joys of cuisine from the banks of the Loire River sums up the philosophy of this informal bistro that serves sinfully good dishes overflowing with regional ingredients: matelote of lamprey, eel, frog’s legs in butter and parsley, filet of pike-perch au beurre blanc, Curé Nantais cheese on pain d’épices toast, and also ravioles of shellfish and bouillon crémé (excellent!). Several different prix-fixe menus. Moderately priced. Attentive service.

Examples of main courses:
Ballotine de volaille (boned, stuffed, rolled poultry) au foie gras, fig pulp vinegar.
Entrecôte (rib steak) de race normande, simply pan-fried.
Vanilla ice cream parfait, strawberry compote.
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Lunch: M T W T F S S / €12.20/€15.60
Dinner: M T W T F S S / Fixed price menu: €17
Price range (main courses): €15.20-€18.80
Children’s menu: €7.50
Handicapped person can access to the toilets
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24 levée de la Divatte
44450 Saint-Julien-de-Concelles
Tél. 02 40 54 10 20
www.lebistrotnantais.fr