Les Fresques

This trip to Europe was a number of «firsts» for me — first time in a bat cave, first fishy pedicure, first time eating Foie Gras, but I digress. Most importantly, this was my first visit to a Michelin starred restaurant. Restaurant Les Frisques is situated in the East Wing of Château des Vigiers. The Château sits atop a hill and looks down over the golf course. The building and grounds are elegant and well maintained.
Walking into the restaurant, we were immediately greeted and welcomed. We sat at the small bar and enjoyed a drink while our table was prepared. As an aside, reservations are highly recommended if not required. It was a chilly evening so everyone was dining inside although the patio for dining al fresco looked to be quite comfortable.
The restaurant itself just screams elegance with tables spaced far enough apart to afford diners plenty of privacy to allow easy conversation. The wall frescos, warm shades and picture windows add an intimate atmosphere to the dining room. It’s just a lovely place to linger and enjoy a great meal.
I’ll be the first to say my French is limited to non-​existent. The servers spoke perfect English and were very accommodating to translating the menu. Service was simply impeccable — professional yet friendly. Best service I have ever experienced in a restaurant. We were treated like rock stars.
We started with two appetizers. The first was baked langoustine in an elderflower consommé with strawberry rhubarb. The second was the Foie Gras with the cherry rhubarb sauce. I can’t pick a favorite as both were absolutely delicious. The Foie Gras melted like butter in my mouth. The langoustine was tender, perfectly baked and exploded with flavors.
For entrees, I chose the veal filet mignon with mushrooms, my husband chose the beef fillet stuffed with foie gras and his son and daughter-​in-​law chose the rack of lamb for two. All the entrees were delicious. The flavors to each dish were unique and delicious. The rack of lamb however was by far my favorite — tender, juicy and so flavorful.
I am no expert when it comes to French wines. The sommelier was ever so patient as he made different recommendations which would complement each of our meals and describing the flavor profile of each. We ended up selecting a 2004 Château Haut-​Brion, a Bordeaux Red Blend from Pessac-​Leognan. It was the perfect choice with wonderful aromas of berries and currant — a full bodied wine which complemented each meal perfectly.
This is by far one of the better dining experiences I have ever had. Everything was perfect — timing of the courses, our selections, the wine and of course the wonderful service. It was also one of the more expensive dining experiences I have ever had, but in my opinion totally worth the price paid for a fantastic evening out with family. I would love to return given the opportunity.

Un moment agréable dans un cadre grandiose
Que ce soit au restaurant «Les Fresques» ou au restaurant «Le Chai» de ce magnifique château-​hôtel **** périgourdin, dominant 3 parcours de golf tirés au cordeau, les repas pris en groupe ont été de bonne facture. Pas évident, pourtant, de servir toutes les tables en même temps avec des plats goûteux et d’éviter le service traiteur conventionnel. Le résultat est bon et au-​dessus de la moyenne, grâce à un personnel féminin efficace, stylé, professionnel et à l’écoute du client, défendant ainsi l’image haut de gamme d’un archétype d’établissement à la française (la présence d’une forte clientèle anglaise témoigne de cette reconnaissance). Le cadre est très beau et contribue manifestement à bonifier le contenu de l’assiette. Les spécialités locales périgourdines sont quand même plus adaptées que d’autre plats plus passé-​partout, imposés par le chef. Un bon moment, surtout lorsqu’on a la chance de prolonger le séjour à l’hôtel et de prendre son petit-​déjeuner en terrasse, face aux greens et à l’étang. Paisible et cosy.