Bordeaux City
The city of Bordeaux is a jewel, with vestiges from the Roman era and medieval town gates. However, the 18th century was its golden age. Victor Hugo once said: “Take Versailles, add Antwerp, and you have Bordeaux.”
Bordeaux is often referred to as "Little Paris". Baron Haussmann, a long-time prefect of Bordeaux, used Bordeaux’s 18th century, big-scale rebuilding as a model when he was asked by Emperor Napoleon III to transform a then still quasimedieval Paris into a “modern” capital that would make France proud.
The city was ruled by the English for a long time, which is why Bordeaux seems to have an "English flair". After the marriage of Henry II to Eleanor of Aquitaine, Bordeaux came under English rule between 1152 and 1453. It was then that the British first developed their taste for Claret, as the red Bordeaux wine is called in the UK.
The city has recently been classified by UNESCO as an “outstanding urban and architectural ensemble”.Bordeaux has a million inhabitants, including a lively university community of over 60,000.
Bordeaux is a flat city, built on the left banks of the Garonne. The Garonne merges a dozen kilometers below the city with the Dordogne to form the Gironde, which is biggest estuary in France. The two main entertainment spots are: (1) Formerly inhabited by wine merchant warehouses, the docks (les quais) are now home to gardens, bike and skate paths, boutiques, museums, cafés, bars and restaurants. (2) La Victoire is the other area for entertainment: Historical monuments meet student life and bars. Most of the pubs and bars of the town are here. Virtually, all the shops in the surroundings of this area are bars.
See:
In the Wine Capital of the World: the City of Bordeaux, France
Bordeaux Tour by ombiasy WineTours 2016, France
Bordeaux Tour by ombiasy WineTours (2015), France
Bordeaux Wine Tour 2013 by ombiasy
Schiller's Favorite Seafood Places in Bordeaux City
L' Embarcadere
3 Rue de Pas Saint Georges
The decor is reminiscent of a pub or brasserie, with wood paneling and rich velvet seating, but the cuisine is seafood all the way. The menu is vast and can suit any seafood tastes and budgets. Known in town as a restaurant serving high-quality dishes at reasonable prices.
Le Petit Commerce
Restaurant et Pecherie
18, 19- 22 Rue Parlement Saint-Pierre
Jim Drohman: The Petit Commerce, a bistro specializing in seafood, reminds me of two points regarding the city of Bordeaux that are not necessarily the first that come to mind when I think of this capital of wine.
First, Bordeaux is a port city and as such, has a rich culinary tradition surrounding fish and shellfish. Although officially located on the river Garonne, it is very near the river’s mouth and therefore close the rich fishing of the bay of Biscay. Bordeaux is also in the center of one of the most renowned oyster producing regions in France, very close to the famous oyster beds at Arcachon and around Oleron.
Second, Bordeaux is close enough to both Spain and the Basque countries that its cooking reflects some of these regions culinary traditions. In this case, I am thinking of cooking on a “plancha” or flat topped grill. Its a very simple, rustic way of cooking that adds a rich, caramelized, note to any ingredient. And one finds it often in Bordeaux.
The daily choices, which usually number 15-20 fish and an equal number of crustaceans, are listed on a chalk board.
The same owner has recently opened a shellfish bar directly across the street and diners at either restaurant can request dishes from the other…so you can start your meal with local oysters on the half shell or a plateau de fruites de mer that might include raw oysters, clams, mussels, crab, shrimp and sea snails.
Service can be brusk but I don’t take it personally…Le Petit Commerce seems always full and perpetually understaffed, although the staff that is there is working at full speed.
Recommended by Ray and Gisela Leon.
Chez Jean-Mi - Bistro à Huitres
Halle des Capucins
Go to the morning market at les Capucins around 11 am and stay for a little snack and glass of chilled white Bordeaux wine. There are just a few specialties, but all outstanding: the freshest of oysters, good bread, wine, and soupe des poissons with the traditional rouille and grated cheese.
From 7:00 am to 1:30 pm.
Le Cabanon Marin
24 Quai Richelieu
www.petitfute.com: Une vraie cabane de pêcheur sur les quais de Bordeaux ! Ce restaurant de spécialités de poisson fait face à la Garonne, ce qui lui permet d'offrir une terrasse agréable les jours de beau temps. A l'intérieur, une décoration typique bord de mer : lambris en bois, éléments rappelant la grande bleue... Le service est impeccable et très sympathique. La carte propose différentes assiettes de fruits de mer, des huîtres, comme l'Abordage, par exemple, un joyeux mélange d'huîtres, de moules, de coques, d'amandes, de bulots, de crevettes et de langoustines et la spécialité de la maison, la bouillabaisse, servie à partir de 2 personnes. Les assiettes de la mer peuvent être complétées au gré de vos envies par d'autres crustacés ou par des pommes de terre sarladaises. Le menu présente un bon rapport qualité-prix avec au choix du foie gras mi-cuit et son chutney au potiron maison, un bouquet de crevettes ou une soupe de poisson maison pour les entrées, pour continuer un filet de canette rôtie, sauce au poivre ou pavé de saumon cuit à l'étouffé ou un bar rôti au four (300-350g). Les desserts proposés sont variés et de qualité. Le Cabanon marin est un restaurant sans prétention mais où les amateurs de poissons et fruits de mer se régaleront.
Chez Boulan Bordeaux
10 Rue Sicard (Chartron District)
Bénédicte Baggio-Catalan: Natives of the region know oyster producer Boulan for his unique oysters from Le Cap-Ferret, and now he has his own restaurant in Chartrons, a neighborhood in Bordeaux. There, chef Pierre Rousseau cooks a marine-inspired, fresh, innovative cuisine. I’m still dreaming about his raw sea bass with yuzu, ginger, cilantro and almonds, paired with mushrooms confit in sake and a runny egg yolk. It’s rare to get such good seafood in a city setting.
La Boite a Huitres
38 Cours du Chapeau-Rouge
Lonely Planet: The Oyster Box is the best place in Bordeaux to munch on fresh Arcachon oysters. Traditionally they're served with sausage but you can have them in a number of different forms, including with that other southwest delicacy, foie gras. They'll also pack them up so you can take them away for a riverfront picnic.
Cap Ferret
The places that follow are not in Bordeaux City, but in Cap Ferret, about 45 miles from Bordeaux City.
Pinasse Café
2 bis ave Océan Cap Ferret,33950 Lège-Cap-Ferret
Bottin Gourmand: Authentique et chaleureux, le Pinasse Café jouit d'une situation privilégiée. Les pieds dans l'eau du bassin d’Arcachon, vous pouvez déguster des moules aux aiguilles de pin, une blanquette de seiche, ou encore d'incroyables homards rôtis sauce sauternes, le tout préparé par le chef Emmanuel Goncalves. Généreux plateaux de fruits de mer. Vue imprenable sur la dune du Pilat. C'est assez magique.
The 2015 and 2016 Bordeaux Tours by ombiasy stopped there for lunch on a Sunday. Great, food and relaxed ambiance, with a gorgeous view over the bay, the oyster farms and the village of Arcachon and the Dunes de Pilat, the largest in Europe, in the distance. I like the Plateau des Fruits de Mer.
See:
Bordeaux Tour by ombiasy WineTours 2016, France
Bordeaux Tour by ombiasy WineTours (2015), France
Oysters in Bordeaux: Visiting the Oyster Farmer Raphael Doerfler and his Earl Ostrea Chanca Oyster Farm - Bordeaux Tour by ombiasy WineTours (2015), France
Restaurant Chez Hortense
Avenue du Sémaphore, 33970 Lège-Cap-Ferret
lefooding.com: A façade with green stripes, a big terrace under the awning and grapevines on the pergola, with a view of the Arcachon Bassin and in the distance, the Pyla dune…. If the dishes that have given this classic Cap Ferret establishment its reputation were a little disappointing the day we went (overcooked mussels and greasy fries), the fish was in excellent shape. Presented whole (wild turbot and bass for two to four people, €37 a head), they return to your table cooked to perfection, just like the grilled portions for solitary diners (salmon, red mullet, tuna and wild meagre…). Preceded, as an appetizer, by whelks, shrimp with a spicy sauce, tuna tartare or langoustines with mayonnaise, and followed by a puits d’amour with strawberries and whipped cream, extolled by a gesticulating Bernadette, Hortense’s granddaughter. The wine selection is respectable, with lots of Bordeaux wines, without feeling chauvinistic (Pessac-Léognan blanc Château Brown for €45, Chablis from Aegerter for €36); wines by the glass €4-8. À la carte €46-66. Reservations necessary.
www.petitfute.com: Une visite gustative Chez Hortense s'impose lors de votre séjour, tellement la cuisine est sincère de fraîcheur et de générosité dans ce coin de paradis. En effet ce cadre bucolique, au charme fou, tout près de l'eau, est l'endroit idéal pour se restaurer ou pour boire un verre, face à la Dune du Pyla. La jolie terrasse couverte et chauffée vous permet de profiter au maximum de l'environnement exceptionnel. Les assiettes sont savoureuses, la cuisson des poissons frais de la pêche du jour est toujours parfaite, le service très aimable et l'accueil irréprochable. Ce n'est pas un hasard si l'endroit est prisé depuis de nombreuses années par les people en vacances ! Dans cette maison de pêcheur authentique et pittoresque à l'ambiance très conviviale, vous vous ferez plaisir, c'est certain. Il faut absolument découvrir la recette spéciale des moules qui a fait la renommée de l'établissement, relevées à point, à base de pain de mie et du petit secret de famille, mais surtout très copieuse. Chez Hortense, une institution du Cap Ferret ! Réservation fortement conseillée.
La Cabane d'Hortense - Les Youkas -
Rue des Tamaris, 33970 Lège-Cap-Ferret
La Cabane d'Hortense, dégustation d'huîtres du Bassin d'Arcachon et du banc d'Arguin, terrasse les pieds dans l'eau au Cap-Ferret face à la dune du Pilat.
lefooding.com: Pour ses 77 ans, Chez Hortense, la baraque à moules-frites la plus people du Cap-Ferret, s’est offert une cabane à huîtres face à la conche du Mimbeau. Le standing (grande terrasse parasolée avec ponton et vue sur la dune du Pyla, bel intérieur en bois blond, vraie cheminée, déco brocantée…) est heureusement préservé, comme le suivi qualité assuré non-stop aux heures d’ouverture : huîtres familiales du banc d’Arguin – petites laiteuses (9 € les six), bonnes grosses quatre-saisons (21 € la douzaine) ; crevettes roses ou dodus bulots mayo (8 €) de la poissonnerie Lucine ; super pâté au foie et à la gorge de porc (6 €) ou terrine au porc noir de Bigorre de la ferme Vignécoise à Saint-Lary (7 €). Et pour arroser tout ça, deux options : graves blanc Château Graville-Lacoste (20 € la bouteille) ou bordeaux rosé Château de Chelivette (3,50 € le verre).
Chez Boulan
2 rue des Palmiers, 33950 Lège-Cap-Ferret
Lafourchette.com: Ambiance cabane de pêcheur. Terrasse à l'abri des regards avec vue sur la dune. Une atmosphère idyllique pour déguster des fruits de mer fraîchement ramassés et des poissons fraîchement pêchés. Chez Boulan c'est une ambiance bistrot simple et décontracté ou on mange bien et où on oublie vite que le temps passe. Une adresse pour pratiquer le Carpe Diem en toute tranquillité !
Hôtel de la Plage (Chez Magne)
Village de L'Herbe, 33950 Lège-Cap-Ferret
Belongs to the Nicolas Lascombe group.
Lefooding.com: Tenu pendant cinquante ans par deux cousines un peu acariâtres, l’Hôtel de la Plage (Chez Magne) fait partie du folklore du cap Ferret. Nicolas Lascombe, qui gère désormais cet ancien repaire de forestiers (1860), l’a laissé dans son jus avec confort sommaire et douches collectives. Ça fait partie du charme, comme la terrasse face au Bassin, absolument divine. Chambres à 75 € : pas cher !
gillespudlowski.com: Un mythe, comme aux îles. Dans un village d’ostréiculteurs et de pêcheurs qui évoque Saintes ou Saint-Barth: c’est l’hôtel de la Plage à l’Herbe. Cette adresse fameuse du Ferret, reprise avec entrain par une série d’investisseurs amis du Cap et de la maison, dont Nicolas Lascombes du Bouchon Bordelais, ne fait plus hôtel. Mais, elle accueille, chaque jour sauf le lundi, pour des dînettes relaxes dans une ambiance d’auberge de toujours. Marion Natalis anime désormais le lieu avec le sourire.
Le Bouchon du Ferret
2, rue des Palmiers, 33950 Lège-Cap-Ferret
Belongs to the Nicolas Lascombe group.
gillespudlowski.com: C’est l’événement du Cap Ferret, créé par un trio de talent: Damien Boulan, ostréiculteur et mareyreur de la poissonnerie éponyme et qui ouvre son cabanon à la dégustation d’huîtres en face, Nicolas Lascombes, qui fait florès avec sa Brasserie Bordelaise à Bordeaux, enfin Marion Natalis dont on reparlera très vite et qui vient de reprendre le mythique hôtel de la Plage à l’Herbe. Leur grand bouchon/brasserie relax et savoureux, plein de gaîté, fait merveille à deux pas du phare, face au Bassin et au cœur du quartier des pêcheurs.
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Schiller’s Favorites
Here is a complete list of Schiller's Favorites:
Europe
Germany
Schiller’s Favorite Wine Taverns in Würzburg, Franken, Germany
Schiller’s Favorites: 2 Legendary Wine Taverns in Würzburg – Juliusspital and Bürgerspital
Schiller’s Favorite Wine Bars and Wine Taverns in Freiburg, Baden, Germany
Schiller's Favorites: Frankfurt Apple Wine Taverns that Make their own Apple Wine
Schiller's Favorite Winemakers in Sachsen (Saxony), Germany
Schiller’s Favorite Winemakers in the Saale-Unstrut Region, Germany
Schiller’s Favorite Wine Taverns in Trier, Germany
Schiller's Favorite (Wine-) Restaurants in Deidesheim in the Pfalz, Germany
Schiller’s Favorite Wine Bars in Frankfurt am Main, Germany
Schiller's Favorite Wine Bars in Berlin, Germany
Schiller’s Favorite Wine Bars in Frankfurt am Main, 2013, Germany
Schiller's Favorite Apple Wine Taverns in Frankfurt am Main, Germany
Schiller’s Favorite Wine Taverns in Mainz, Germany
France
Schiller’s Favorite Wine Bars in Bordeaux City - An Update
Schiller’s Favorite Wine Bars and other Wine Venues in Chablis, France
Schiller’s Favorite Wine Bars in Beaune, Bourgogne
Dinner at a Bouchon - Chez Paul - in Lyon: Schiller’s Favorite Bouchons in Lyon, France
Schiller’s Favorite Wine Bars in Beaune, Bourgogne, France (2015)
Schiller’s Favorite Wine Bars in Bordeaux City, France (2015)
Schiller’s Favorite Restaurants, Brasseries, Bistros, Cafes and Wine Bars in Paris, France
Schiller's Favorite Seafood Places in Bordeaux City, France
Schiller's Favorite Wine Bars in Bordeaux City, France, 2014
Schiller’s Favorite Wine Bars in St. Emilion, France
Schiller’s Favorite Restaurants, Brasseries, Bistros, Cafes and Wine Bars in Paris, 2012 France
Schiller's Favorite Wine Bars in Bordeaux (City) (2012), France
UK, Spain, Austria, Hungary
Schiller's Favorite Winebars in London, UK
Schiller’s Favorite Tapas Bars in Logroño in La Rioja, Spain
Schiller’s Favorite Wine Bars in London, 2012, UK
Schiller's Favorite Wine Bars and Other Wine Spots in Vienna, Austria
Schiller's Favorite Wine Bars in Budapest, Hungary
Schiller’s Favorite Spots to Drink Wine in Vienna, Austria (2011)
USA
Schiller's Favorite Oyster Bars and Seafood Places in Seattle, Washington State, USA - An Update
Schiller’s Favorite Wine Bars in Seattle, USA - An Update
Schiller’s Favorite Wine Bars in Charleston, South Carolina, USA
Schiller’s Favorite Wine Bars in Austin, Texas, USA
Riesling Crawl in New York City – Or, Where to Buy German Wine in Manhattan: Schiller's Favorite Wine Stores, USA
Schiller's Favorite Oyster Bars and Seafood Places in Seattle, USA (2013)
Schiller’s Favorite Wine Bars in New York City, USA
Schiller’s Favorite Wine Bars in Seattle, USA (2013)
Schiller's Favorite Wine Bars in Washington DC, USA
Schiller’s Favorite Crab Houses in the Washington DC Region, USA
Schiller’s Favorite Wine Bars in New York City, 2012, USA
Schiller’s Favorite Wine Bars in Charleston, South Carolina, USA (2013)
Schiller’s Favorite Wine Bars in San Francisco, USA
Schiller's Favorite Wine Bars and Other Places Where You Can Have a Glass of Wine in Healdsburg, California
Asia
Schiller’s Favorite Wine Bars in Singapore
Schiller s Favorite Winebars in Beijing, 2014, China
Africa
Schiller's Favorite Wines of Madagascar
Schiller’s 12 Favorite Restaurants of Antananarivo, the Capital of Madagascar