Le Bistrot de la Véranda offers either a daily changed lunch menu or a seasonal « à la carte » selection and stunning views across a lush valley spanning from the ancient village of Gordes across the Luberon.
Refreshing terrace
Atmosphere: Fresh, family friendly and breathtaking vista. Although the bistro is located at a luxurious hotel, compared to its gastronomic restaurant, this is a casual spot to dine. You can wear your tourist attire as well as a nice summer dress and shirt. Fresh breeze coming from the valley lets you forget the steaming hot trail through the old village and provides natural air-conditioning on the terrace cut into the steep rocks of the Gordes hill. As we dined there, we spotted families with larger tables and their kids ordering special dishes the restaurant provided for them – from pasta to french fries, it seemed that they got what they desired. These were nice and orderly children, who knew how to behave at a nice place, so even the childless couples had their romantic lunch experience guaranteed without any disruptions.
A bottle of Rose and tremendous view
Food: Fresh, creative and full of flavor. Using mostly local ingredients the chef creates daily a Menu du marché – a three-course lunch menu including a glass of local wine and coffee. One never gets bored with his creations. The starter of Gâteau de poulpe, fine semoule et poivrons marinés. The Octopus cake made with fine semolina and marinated red peppers was prodigious in terms of mastering the seemingly disparate ingredients in one dish. The tiny slices of octopus added texture to the semolina cake, the marinated peppers sweetness and juice, the pepper gazpacho was like a juicy sauce, the rocket brought some bitter touch to the sweetness of the peppers and the crispy cheese cracker on the top was a sophisticated touch of savour topping the multiple pleasures from this dish.
Octopus with couscous in red pepper gazpacho
The melon season announced itself in another starter, this time on the regular à la carte menu. The Coeur de melon et jambon cru (Fresh melon and raw ham) was simple, but exquisite. Juicy and sweet melon was in harmony with the ham.
Cantaloupe with ham
Even more meaty was the terrine from the same menu. La terrine de campagne provençale (Country style provençal pâté) felt like grandmother’s own terrine. Capers and salad added freshness and fruit chutney sweetness reducing the strong meat in the terrine.
Meat terrine with salad
Moving to the main courses with La rascasse en bouillabaisse (Scorpion fish in bouillabaisse) our friend did not go wrong. This authentic yet innovative dish based on the local fish used often in bouillabaisse and served with green beens swimming in a rich creamy sauce with young potatoes and vegetables attracted our friend because of the scorpion fish. He had never heard about it and wanted to try it. As he finished the whole plate I assume that he liked it a lot.
The bouillabaisse
Cuisine: French gastronomic bistro
Visit: August 2012
Price: medium (if you get two starters for lunch) to high (the bistro is located in a five-star hotel, three-course lunch menu varies daily from 30€ to 38€, à la carte starters €12, mains €25 and desserts with cheese €9)
Drinks: Great local wines selection with reasonable prices. The rosé we got though was little bit too strawberry perfumed for me, lacking balance between freshness and flavor. For a light lunch I prefer something crisp and refreshing, perhaps rather going into the delicate peach aroma as most of the Provençal rosés posses. I got a glass of local white wine as a consequence and was extremely happy with it since it delivered the crispness and aroma I craved for. You can taste the wine by the glass before so if you do not like it you can choose something else instead.
Opening hours: Lunch : 12.30 – 2.15 pm daily
Contact: +33 (0) 4 90 72 12 12
Address: Rue de la Combe  84220 Gordes, France