Restaurant Review: La Fourchette, Entrecasteaux

In the sleepy but gobsmackingly-beautiful medieval village of Entrecasteaux, in the heart of Provence, lies a gem of a little restaurant: La Fourchette. It is located just over the cobblestoned bridge (that offers a stunning view of the gardens) and in front of the church. Pierre and Léa Nicolas are the French-American couple who run this fine dining establishment. They have been well-loved by the community they have been serving for an impressive 23 years.

At La Fourchette, the cuisine is traditional, but with a refreshing drop of original flare - a cuisine that's not exactly American fusion, but with an introduction of a few exotic spices, not too spicy, but just enough to make the dishes more interesting and fresh than simply French.

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With a hint of New Orleans and the chic of San Francisco, this cozy place oozes charm and invites even the most fussy diner to relax in front of the stone fireplace in winter, or impress the "in-laws" during sunnier months on the large terrace with panoramic views of the green hills.

My husband and I were there recently on a rainy Saturday and was particularly impressed by the large crowd. "We have many customers who are loyal to us and come back year after year. They may be vacationers but also many resident locals who use us for celebrations like birthdays and anniversaries," said native San Franciscan, Léa Nicolas. Her husband Pierre is the chef here and did much of his training in the US. The couple has worked hard to create a truly intimate dining experience not unlike the inside of a comfortable and tastefully decorated living room.

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There was a choice of formule or full menu for lunch. Twenty euros for a choice of appetiser and main or main and dessert, twenty five euros for the full three courses - both choices came with an amuse bouche (a pre-entrée appetiser). The house cocktail was a Cote de Provence Rosé wine with peach liqueur which was perfectly chilled. With this came freshly baked baguette with their very own virgin olive oil (which can be purchased by the litre - or a half litre bottle cost 9 euros) and serving of top quality salt. We were served a scrumptious, warm tomato veloutée topped with fresh basil cream, followed by their specialty: foie gras and smoked duck cannelloni (this was out-of-this-world-good despite sounding heavy) or foie gras crème brulée.

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Then came the mains: Cajun giant prawns with chickpea purée and perfectly cooked rice or the magret de canard au miel de lavande (duck breast, sautéed, with lavender honey sauce). The prawns were so big and juicy I didn't mind getting my fingers all saucy to get the shells off (a lemon scented hand-wipe was also provided) and the duck was delectable. The meal was accompanied by our choice of Sainte Croix La Manuelle's Cote de Provence Red (from neighbouring Le Thoronet), a smooth, well-balanced wine with aromas of red berries and a touch of wood. We finished off with the home made cheesecake (baked) with fresh strawberry sauce and tiramisu and of course, an espresso.

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Though I felt like I couldn't move by the end of it, the dining experience at La Fourchette was a real treat and made the bad weather seem, well, not so bad actually. The service was efficient and well organised. The place didn't even need music. The roaring fire provided all the sound entertainment needed.

Other villages of interest in the area include: Lorgues (15 km), Cotignac (9 km), Le Thoronet (20km) Brignoles (23km), and St Antonin. Entrecasteaux is about an hour's drive from Cannes, heading West on the A8.

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