Le Lutrin

I had very busy day exploring Pont du Gard and Orange. It was lucky that these two locations are actually not that far from each other but they don’t have direct connections, apart from heading back to Avignon and taking a train. Fortunately, this was easy enough to do so I didn’t have to worry about not being able to visit both places in one day. I was tired and I just checked in the hotel which I will be spending the next couple of days in. I wasn’t really sure if there was a place to have dinner at the budget hotel but I didn’t like the idea of eating there anyway. This is France and I wanted to try some local food in proper restaurants.

I have realized that eating out in France is expensive. I have been trying to limit my meals for lunch and probably spend a bit more for dinner. I walked in the old city of Avignon. It looks like a very charming city and I think it is very beautiful. The town square seems to be surrounded by numerous restaurants and I suspect them to be expensive. I ended up choosing this place just off the main square called Le Lutrin. It seems to be connected to a hotel nearby named Hôtel Palais des Papes, so maybe they are good.

I am not familiar with French food so I just ordered whatever looks interesting in the menu. I wasn’t sure if this region is known for its food but it is French food, so it is most probably good. For starters I had tête de veau à l’ancienne which is cow’s head. I didn’t really know how it can be served but that came out was something unexpected. I couldn’t tell that it was part of the head the way it was prepared. Perhaps that was the point. The meat or the parts of the head were almost like jelly in texture. There was some bit of meat here but it was almost like it was just gelatin. I would like to say that it feels more like the brain rather than the head itself. I don’t think I ever had cow brain before, pig maybe but this is a very unique way preparing it. I must say, it is a bit of an acquired taste.

With an appetizer like that, I’m not sure if anyone would even want a main course. Fortunately, my main course is lamb chop. The lamb, unfortunately, wasn’t as nice as I would have liked. I think lamb in Ireland is much better. At least, the lamb was much better than the cow brain. Anyway, at least I managed to try some new type of food here in Avignon. I would have few more chances to eat here in historic city. At least I won’t be having any more cow brain.

Hôtel Palais des Papes
84000 Avignon, France
Tel : +33 4 9086 0413
[email protected]

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