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Anybody could wonder what a one star Michelin restaurant like the Amphitryon is doing in such a dull godforsaken place as Colomiers near Toulouse, but as you get there you take a glimpse of AIRBUS’s huge offices strategically situated a few hundred metres away and there you have your goldmine, however much the ship is sinking (sorry in this case the plane!!!) or the financial disaster!
The first time we ate there, we were not very impressed as the food, like in many starred restaurant everywhere seem incomprehensible and too complicated, very often dissected in its components ‘genetically’ and deliciously altered.
However we received an invitation from them saying that they were celebrating their tenth anniversary with a menu made of their best dishes and at a reduced price 65 Euros instead of 85! So as I had to be in Colomiers during this period, I took my daughter and her oenologue boyfriend with me before they left for a long weekend away. The accueil was very warm friendly, and then, turned to pure embarrassment when they realised that they had given our table to somebody else who they thought were us (and had not booked!). They very quickly set up their private salon and ask us if we would mind dining there: They apologised again with a beautiful cocktail and we started our delicious experience. The amuse bouche (a tiny mousse of foie gras, a tiny spoon of a feathery light fish dumpling and a tiny black ink meringue of sweet and sour mix) beautifully titillated our palate.
Then the menu started:
The first time we ate there, we were not very impressed as the food, like in many starred restaurant everywhere seem incomprehensible and too complicated, very often dissected in its components ‘genetically’ and deliciously altered.
However we received an invitation from them saying that they were celebrating their tenth anniversary with a menu made of their best dishes and at a reduced price 65 Euros instead of 85! So as I had to be in Colomiers during this period, I took my daughter and her oenologue boyfriend with me before they left for a long weekend away. The accueil was very warm friendly, and then, turned to pure embarrassment when they realised that they had given our table to somebody else who they thought were us (and had not booked!). They very quickly set up their private salon and ask us if we would mind dining there: They apologised again with a beautiful cocktail and we started our delicious experience. The amuse bouche (a tiny mousse of foie gras, a tiny spoon of a feathery light fish dumpling and a tiny black ink meringue of sweet and sour mix) beautifully titillated our palate.
Then the menu started:
La sardine fraiche taillèe au couteau, crème de morue et caviar de hareng
Fresh raw sardine roughly chopped and topped with a salted cod mousse and herring caviar : that was absolutely fresh, light and the combination blended in your mouth and tasted of its components
Fresh raw sardine roughly chopped and topped with a salted cod mousse and herring caviar : that was absolutely fresh, light and the combination blended in your mouth and tasted of its components
Le thon rouge, marine puis saisi servi tiède sur nem de thon cru et chèvre frais
A marriage of very lightly cooked marinated tuna served on a Vietnamese roll of raw tuna and fresh goat cheese: a beautiful combination!
Le ‘ jeu de canard’…magret de canard mariné ; foie gras cru en copeaux, et mi-cuit en pomme d’amour
There we start the famous declensions « à la mode » - paper thin slices of marinated magret, paper thin slices of raw foie gras and a tiny ‘apple on a stick’ - shaped mi-cuit foie gras dipped in red jelly. That was also very nice although the raw foie gras could have done with a bit of seasoning
Le ‘ jeu de canard’…magret de canard mariné ; foie gras cru en copeaux, et mi-cuit en pomme d’amour
There we start the famous declensions « à la mode » - paper thin slices of marinated magret, paper thin slices of raw foie gras and a tiny ‘apple on a stick’ - shaped mi-cuit foie gras dipped in red jelly. That was also very nice although the raw foie gras could have done with a bit of seasoning
La fraicheur de roquette et pousses tendres
A rocket (and I think lime) sorbet, very slightly sweet on a bed of tiny rocket leaves That was really so refreshing and palate cleansing ! AND IT WORKED!
Le boeuf carotte…joues de boeuf cuites en pot au feu, carottes nouvelles et moelle
This is a casserole of beef cheek very slowly braised, served in layers with new carrots and beef marrow. I personally...
This is a casserole of beef cheek very slowly braised, served in layers with new carrots and beef marrow. I personally...
don’t like stewed beef but this dish was so well prepared; the meat so soft and yet juicy, melting in the mouth; the contrasting new baby carrots and the beautifully velvety marrow crowning everything. A masterpiece of execution.
Two desserts followed:
Les fraises Gariguettes à Croq meringues cristalline de menthe et gingembre :
Two desserts followed:
Les fraises Gariguettes à Croq meringues cristalline de menthe et gingembre :
Nice small strawberries served with baked very soft meringue, a little sickly
Le cachou Lajauni dans un macaron moelleux gelée clair aux agrumes
A liquorice sorbet - extremely strong, served sandwiched between two macaroons on a citrus fruit jelly dotted with ultra bitter liquorice. Interesting, but not to my taste
A liquorice sorbet - extremely strong, served sandwiched between two macaroons on a citrus fruit jelly dotted with ultra bitter liquorice. Interesting, but not to my taste
I found petits fours and desserts the least interesting part of the menu but pleasant and well executed.
The matching wines proposed which we agreed to have... a Chablis premier cru Montée de Tonnerre 2005 for the first two courses: a bit too young, The Alsace Gewürztrauminer 2004 matched the foie gras dish and the sorbet beautifully. With the beef a Saint Joseph Dom. du Chène Anais 2003 from the Rhône Valley was superb.
We were also offered a digestif - a glass of Champagne as a second “mea culpa” which had long been forgiven considering also that as soon as a table was available in the nicest part of their dining room they did move as there so we “could enjoy the atmosphere”
At 44.50 Euros extra per person for the wines (one glass of each) I felt they did better than recuperate the 21 Euro discount offered to celebrate their ten years!!! But we had a wonderful evening; the food was really enjoyable and as starred restaurants go, especially in London, a bill of 340.50 Euros (about 210.50 sterling) for three people inc. everything was very well and very fairly spent!
Restaurant Ratings...
Food 46
Wine list 16
Service 9
Ambience 5
Value for money 12
Total 88
L'Amphitryon Chemin de Gramont, Colomiers 31770, France. Tel: +33 05 61 15 55 55.
Fax: +33 05 61 15 42 30
www.lamphitryon.com
Open lunch and dinner all week.
Credit cards: Visa, Mastercard
Fixed price menus: €30 to €85 without wine. Add €44 for matching wines.
A la carte: around €75 for 3 courses without wine.
