Some of you email to ask me where I am in Europe, what I do, etc. I will not bore you with all details of my trip, but having a few minutes available, this post from Bordeaux (southwest of France), capital of the best wines in the world (red and white, 14,000 producers, 700 million bottles annually) A city where I have very good friends, 2 of them being some of the very best in their respective businesses and who just gave me a very special welcome back treatment.
First, Dominique Mariaulle, simply known as Dom, owner of a beautiful and very busy shop named V-Twin Garage, and who is probably (just after me…) the greatest supporter of everything American. Dom has not only an impressive motorcycling experience, but has extensively rode both his Harley or Victory ot Custom in exactly 38 US States. Particularity, his shop, from main door to rest room, is exclusively decorated with beautiful Diner furniture, memorabilia, signs, pin ball and pop corn machines included, imported after each of his trip across the Atlantic. You will never meet in France, or in the US when he visits us (he will be in Cincinnati for the 2012 V-Twin Expo), somebody with a larger smile, dealer experience and sense of friendship…Dom organized for me in his shop a TV interview in which he also mentioned that he is about to launch his own designed Chopper & Bobber models line up already approved to be road legal on all streets and highways of Europe.
In France, friendship is always celebrated around a good meal and wine, and it just happens that Bordeaux is home of Gravelier one the most celebrated French restaurants and whose owner, Yves Gravelier, is a long time biker riding to work every day, rain, shine or freeze, his 1974 custom Harley Shovelhead,. Yves and his wife Anne Marie (she is the daughter of Pierre Troisgros, the most famous Chef name, many years ranked best restaurant in the world) prepared for Dominique and myself a surprise menu of 6 courses of 2 to 4 bites each, with names so beautiful and romantic that I can’t even translate them (I post them in French for those of you loving gourmet food…and being bilingual) I have been lucky to have been welcomed in some of the best culinary temples in many countries, but this succession of meals is for me an experience ranking much higher than all I have known before…
I could not end this post without publishing a picture of what French workers are also famous for: protesting in the streets (especially on Thursdays, Fridays and Mondays, guess why?) Front of my hotel, Bordeaux firefighters protest for better salaries… Tomorrow, I will be back in Paris.
Menu. 1- Cèpes et crustacés vinaigrette. 2- Pizza de Rouget Roquette et Foie Gras Vin Rouge. 3- Salmi Pigeon Et Blinis De Châtaignes. 4- Chevre Frit Et Gelee De Piment D’espelette. 5- Mandarine Meringuées. 6- Crêpe Soufflée Framboise. Wine was a 2005 Chateau Raveil De Luze Margaux.
Have a great time – I prefer Burgundy for my wine !
Cyril, are you by any chance going to Strasbourg?
It’s one of my favorite places in thre world.
v twin garage is an intresting site, especially after my google toolbar translated it to english! Thanks for the update and input from places and people i’m sure i’ll never get to meet or see.
I have the menu translated for us dumb Americans.
Menu:
1. Vinegar Crust
2.Rebel grass pizza
3.Salami stuffed pigeon
4.Pimento Chevy Fritters
5.Orange whipped eggs
6.Twinkies
Wine:
Boones Farm
Met Dom in Cincinnati. Cool guy and he speaks English. Enjoy your trip Cyril.
We would have liked a picture of all what you ate!
Met Dom many years ago when he visited our shop and we traded logo patches. I bet my logo is somewhere in his shop today, I still have his. Nice to see he’s doing well. ~Lisa
A well deserved break and treats! Dom’s shop looks like a great place – enjoy your visit -;0)
Don’t forget to protest.
Hey Cyril,
I’m heading to Bordeaux on December 3rd for business. I’ll try and stop in and say hi to Dom. I wll also try and hit Gravelier as I’m alway up for good food and good wine! By the way, what is your favioraite Bordeaux red????
To John Y, I was in Strasbourg a little over a month ago, really liked it too! 😉
Keeping on keeping on,
Larry
Visiting Loire and southwest of France in June. Keeping Dom’s and restaurant info and will show up.
Cyril. You should write a book about food. How to eat (and drink) like you do and stay so thin.
After checking out Gravelier’s menu and website I’m with Drake, post images of what you ate! The food sounds sensational…
You do so much for so many. I’m so glad you’re having a nice holiday. You certainly deserve it! C. and I love France, and Bordeaux is one of my favorite places in the world, the wines as well! Thanks for sharing your experiences with us, and continue to have a wonderful journey. Hope to hear more of your adventures in future posts. Stay well Cyril. See you in Daytona?
OK ..Sounds like a great time there with very good friends who appreicate the American way and a capitalistict ways. Now I cant agree that just a couple of bites of six different things would satisfy anyone….that is unless you had all the wine first. As for the Firemen and their whining your friend can help them out and keep them off the street and doing their duty after all they wanted that job and knew what the pay was. They can start their own restaurant or bike shop and quite living off the govt tit and wanting more for the rest of their lives….Seems California has a lot of the same mindless folk…..They cant afford to pay the ones working for all the ones they have to pay for not working…..Our soldiers that gave some or all dont get that kind of pay for their service!!!
SSDD; David