La Botte d’Asperges
Passing through the tiny village of Le Controis-en-Sologne, a 12-minute drive from Cheverny, you'll find this unassuming storefront with spare decor that belies a rich and sophisticated cuisine. Chef Stéphane Bureau, a veteran of top tables around France, delights in presenting (in English or French) his beautiful refined dishes made with the best local ingredients: perhaps plump white asparagus from the Sologne with wild garlic in an ethereal cloud of smoked hollandaise delicately flavored with bottarga, followed by tender farm-raised chicken in a rich sauce of vin jaune and morel mushrooms with braised polenta. The dessert platter, presented and prepared by the chef, is a show unto itself. Suggested wine pairings are a good value, and a nice touch for those less familiar with the superb local vintages.
