Provence pasta perfection

The flavours fused through this veal fusilli and the freshness of the tender meat knocked this lunch out of the park.

When pasta came to the table at Les Domaines Qui Montent after a delightful starter of pork pâté, I will admit I felt a touch of dismay. Pasta? Not Italian food, I want French! But, my, oh my, was this dish cooked to perfection and it fast became perfectly acceptable to have fusilli in France. The melt-in-your-mouth morsels of veal in an herbed tomato sauce atop al dente fusilli went fast, and we all reached for the communal bowls for seconds. 

Les Domaines Qui Montent restaurant, while a casual lunch spot/boutique/epicurean shop to regulars, immediately captivates a newcomer. Nestled on a narrow street away from the nucleus of the city, Les Domaines feels like a hidden gem, so it was a surprise to hear it is a chain across France.

Aside from stocking gourmet cheeses and jams, foie gras, spices, salts, olive oils and breads, the shop partners with some of the smaller wine producers, making for a rare collection of vintages. 

Beautiful bottles at every turn – on tables, in displays, on shelves – make for inviting décor.

From left: The cheese never ends in France — not that I'm complaining; beautiful artisan bottles of fresh-from-the sea salt decorate restaurant tables throughout France — my sodium stores must have been bursting since I just had to try all of the flavours; small and delicate strawberries accented with mint capped our fantastic lunch well.