Dijon restaurant rec for birthday celebration
 

I'm going to surprise DH on his birthday by whisking him away by TGV for a long week-end in Dijon. For his birthday dinner, I'd like to take him to a good restaurant, brasserie or bistro with, of course, an excellent selection of local wines. Your favs? We don't need or even want a super fancy meal, just someplace nice -- the Dijon equivalent of, say La Tour in Sancerre or d'Antan Sancerrois in Bourges, two of our favorite restaurants. In Michelin terms, one star rather than three star.

Also, will probably go to Beaune for the Friday of that week-end; any suggestions for a good lunch spot would be appreciated, similar criteria.

Thanks!

We enjoyed dinner at Chapeau Rouge. It gets good reviews.

http://k-luxedining.com/2012/09/26/h...chapeau-rouge/

Thanks! Was the restaurant called Restaurant William Frachot when you were there or is he a new chef for them?

Where's my old friend Coco from Dijon when we need her?

Stephan Derbord is one of our favorite restaurants in France. We didn't think much of Le Pre aux Clercs.

Stu Dudley

I forgot that I had written up something about our last meal at Stephan Derbord. This was about 5 years ago:

Stephane Derbord in Dijon – one of the top 5 meals of all time in France (we dine out about 40 times per year in France)
Michelin 1 star

First round of Amuse Bouches
Bite sized squares of Croque Monsieurs
Carp mousse with black & white sesame seeds
Parmesan chip and a bite sized tomato “truffle” with a semi-liquid center
Second round of Amuse Bouches
Sushi (California roll) with cockle, with Asian spices & bean sprouts
Potato puree
Leek Mousse with green beans
55E menu
-Smoked sandre – thin rolls stuffed with finely julienned vegetables served with tart greens (incl dandelion greens) topped with paper thin lengthwise sliced carrots. The plate was edged with a piping of honey mustard and crumbled hazelnuts
-Perch with a wild mushrooms and green beans served in a deep plate with a “soup de poisons” reduction sauce
-cheese chariot
-Poached , pealed pear with a red wine sauce in pain epice with sage ice cream – all very refreshing

65E menu
-Sauteed scallops, each served on a cucumber “coin” with a topping of lemon cream & caviar, with julienned apples & dandelion greens
-Sandre on a bed of spinach with a butter sauce accompanied by a small tomato stuffed with diced cepes on a squash “coin”
-Filet of Cerf, served with berries & a dark berry reduced sauce with green beans & wild mushrooms with a ‘grain” of some sort
-Cheese chariot
-pre-dessert refresher
-Chocolate fondant – top & bottom layers of dark chocolate “sandwiching” lighter chocolate mousse with dark chocolate wafers & vanilla ice cream
-Post-dessert refresher

Stu Dudley

Dijon has good mustard too! And Dijon gives a hoot! Don't forget to take the Owl Trail throughout the town:

http://www.visitdijon.com/en/dijon-v...s_chouette.htm

Sundays in towns like Dijon are IME near totally dead except for nice restaurants - but there is a nice park to walk around west of the train station if I recall correctly. but I guess if you live in Basel then you are used to totally dead cities on Sundays and after workers have left and shops are all closed.

Hi I'm here PalenQ and I can see that you, Stu and burta alread gave great advice. Those ones had rave reviews from my guests, like Loiseau des Ducs in rue Vauban, la Maison des Cariatides in rue Chaudronnerie, le Pourquoi Pas in rue Monge and Dr Wine in rue Musette near the food market.

Dijon is not always quiet on Sundays (Beaune is always busier) but who needs crowds to enjoy the small medieval streets and follow the Owl's trail anyway?
Welcome to Dijon WT!!

Ah Coco is still around - great advice always from this Dijonnaise (?) and here is a video of Dijon you may be interested in - posted by Coco sometime last century:

http://www.fodors.com/community/euro...-the-video.cfm

Au revoir Coco cherie!

Not sure Coco cherie still has her neat nice raved about B&B in central Dijon but if she does it would make a nice place to stay vs a hotel perhaps - self-catering I believe - My Home in Dijon is what it was called and presumably still is!

Hi Coco!
We stayed at Coco's BnB a couple years ago and indeed, it was fabulous. We had an excellent lunch at Stephane Derbord.
Have fun!

I want to thank everyone for their recs. I decided to make Beaune our venue instead of Dijon. We have reservations at Caves Madeleine (which is getting good reviews for its new owners/management), Loiseau des Vignes and might also try Bissoh. We'll also have a few hours in Dijon the day we arrive and the day we leave, so we'll grab a simple lunch in the old town at someplace that looks appealing.