La Rotonde

Centered in Villa Eugenie, Napoleon’s holiday getaway «retreat» on the ocean, La Rotonde is nothing short of spectacular. Dinner last night offered me my second great meal of the year. (The first was at Lung King Heen in Hong Kong.)
A couple of glasses of rosé champagne in the lounge area in front of the restaurant set the stage. A mild buzz gave way to a table for two in front of a window facing the ocean for sundown. Watching the sun fade we started with our appetizers. I opted for a simple salad of greens with red and green tomatoes in an oil and lemon juice dressing. My guest ordered the Foie Gras de Canard des Landes, Accompagné de Chutney de Framboises. She declared it as good or better than any Foie Fras she’d ever had… and that’s quite a statement.
We ordered a bottle of 2001 Château-​Figeac (Grand Cru, St. Emillion). Decanted, it took just a moment or two to open up. It was just at the beginning of good drinkability.
Next was the main course. We bothe ordered the Carré d’Agneau, Roti a la «Basquaise», Croute au Chorizo, Petits Legumes Faris et Jus au Piment d’Esplette. (Roasted Pyrenees Lambink Basque style in chorizo crust served with stuffed tiny vegetables and Esplette pepper sauce.) This was amazing. The thin coating of chorizo on the lamb was both beautiful (orange) and incredibly flavorful. The tiny vegetables were stuffed with spices and lamb in slightly different preparations. This was awesome food… the perfect mixture of French and Basque… perfectly appropriate for the location.
I closed out with Les Cerises, Mousse Legere a l’Amande Douce Confit, Sauce Just de Cerises, Glacé a la Pistache, Rosace de Cerises Fraiches (Cherries, Sweet Almond Foam and candied Cherry Juice, Pistachio Ice Cream and Fresh Cherries Rosette.) Lili ended dinner with two sheep cheeses. We closed out with espresso… the kind where you can taste the wood from the roasting of the beans. Desserts were superb. Dinner wasn’t cheap but 350 Euros, including wine, wasn’t too much to ask for one of the great meals I’ve ever had.
I cannot recommend this place more highly.