Hector's Vacation

This is one of my Dad's favourite restaurant's in Trouville, just acros the river from Deauville. He's been eating here almost every year since he was first introduced to it in 1977 by his great racing friend James 'Bin' Derby. While we were eating the waiter, who my dad told me had benn there forever, asked us if we were enjoying the meal and my dad said, "C'est tres bon, comme toujours", the waiter repeated, "Comme toujours" and so my dad agreed and told him this fact- it turns out the waiter had been working there since 1982. Quite a history.

The restaurant itself, apart from a new coat of paint, probably hasn't been redecorated in those thirty years. The decor is very oldy-worldy. Ivory coloured wooden panels with gold detail but set into the panels there are watercolours of local scenes, mainly around the fishing village or field, but also there are the most wonderful silver mirrors- so old that you can see where corrosion has blackened spots all over. The character of place is further brought out by the stained glass ceiling and central ivory coloured service stations adorned with bottles of ageing spirits and decanted fine wines; best of all is the lobster tank as you first walk into the restaurant.


To go with the aperitiffe's the waiter presented some croutons, garlic butter and anchovies-not any of those stewed in salt or oil, but the proper fresh fish- a light colour to the meat. After tempting Hector with a mouthwatering description Dad had to suffer much antler bashing as he discovered that fish did not agree with his vegetarian tastes.


For starters we had Soup au poisson and Moules Normande- here the soup au poisson is a true meal, being delivered in a small bucket you are left to ladle in as much as you want and then to play with the floating croutons-which you decorate with garlic mayonaise and gruyere cheese.


My father LOVES his garlic and so for him this is the world's greatest dish- I can't handle so much garlic and avoid adding the sauce. After a very large bowl full I passover the remaining gallon for my father to enjoy (he quickly adds about 4 tbsp of the garlic sauce to "complement" the flavour) and I steal the last of his moules in what is a very rich cream sauce.


Main courses were freshly caught 'Raie en beurre' and 'Fillet du boeuf'- loosly translated as skate cooked in butter- a most amazing dish as the meat simply fell of the bones and so very rich in freshness- and the fillet beef cooked 'au poin'-rare- beats off anything I've had in England recently, even some of the steaks I ate at Gray's Inn.

Hector was highly regretting being vegetarian as these dishes were by no means aimed at any but the carnivorous. This appears to be a French habit- vegetables are only ever served on request, meals do not tend to come with them even though when asked for, the greens placed in front of you are some of the most crisp and flavoursome you could possibly hope for.

I must apologise to all those who truly appreciate a rare steak as the flash on this photo has lost the honest colour, a deep red centre with light char-browned surface. The meat breathed its juices when you leant on it with your fork and the taste was worth savouring more so even than a pizza du chef which I love so much from Santa Lucia.

Before the dessert menu's had even been presented Dad was asking if they had their sorbets- particularly delicious, freshly prepared, leaving a sweet-sour tingling sensation. Not being quite such a sorbet fan I asked for Glace vanille et chocolat. These ice creams put to shame anything we buy in England- they mock the likes of Carte d'Or and Haagen Dazs; it takes only two boules to satisfy one's appetite as they burst with flavour and start the endorphins flowing.