Christmas 2009 Rewind Part 1: Annual L'Auberge Dinner

We celebrated the third annual L'Auberge Chez Francois family dinner the day after our big Festivus party. L'Auberge is definitely NOT our favorite. It's really tired and old; the Alsatian cuisine stodgy (read: heavy, fatty, and full of calories), and the execution is just okay (not bad, just okay). But the clientele, which is mainly older (as in the average age is like 67), love it. And G's parents treated us, so there's that. The service is sweet (in a funny way, as in costumey vests), old school and very attentive. (G's parents asked for James, their favorite waiter.) And so continued the holiday binging. We also used the occasion to celebrate G and his dad's birthday, which meant a lot of desserts.

I felt/looked like a stuffed animal afterwards (my woolly dress didn't help matters any).

A salad of lardon and roast goose.

They have a good wine selection. (No corkage in Virginia.) We had Conundrum to start.  

I had the extra garlicky escargot.

Then a very hearty Bouillabaise. There was no skimping here.

A very large Delmonico steak for momz. 

But some frog legs to start her off.

 

Vacqueyras, a red Rhone, and a Virginia sparkling from Kluge

G's foie gras with poached pears was average.

G and his dad split a rack of lamb

The kitchen made them both meringue birthday desserts

We had a palate cleanser of grapefruit sorbet then I had the lemon torte and someone got the cheese plate.

All good enough. L'Auberge is a sweet, cliche sort of place. Though not at the top of my list, I see how lovers of Julie and Julia would enjoy it.

***Images taken by me using G's dad's Canon point-and-shoot***