L’Auberge Procvencale- White Post, Virginia
Many of our customers ask, where can I go to taste some of your wines? There are many restaurants in Virginia and D.C., but if you want to know where we go to taste our wines, L’Auberge Provencale of White Post is the answer. We have had numerous tastings at their lovely French provincial themed estate. It is a Bed and Breakfast, but boasts one of the most amazing menus and luckily welcomes reservations for their restaurant to the public. They get a lot of guests from “the City” as we call it in Winchester. Couples from D.C. flock to this little hideaway just to get away from the hustle and bustle. We are fortunate to live just a few minutes away, so our escape to their charming haven is slightly less dramatic. We might be the only people to dine there and use our regular voices. We can spot the out of-towners whispering of even just sitting in silence with each other. It welcomes you like a home, and we choose to be comfortable and happy in conversation there.
They proudly offer “Farm to Table” cuisine in a Southern French style. Timeless Wines has one of the best French portfolios you can find, and you can order most them with your meal here. The Sommelier, Christian Borel, has worked for his family’s estate for some time and is brilliant when it comes to choosing what wine will go best with your courses. You can even spot our wines in the pictures on their websites.
We have eaten there so many times, that it has become our “go-to” restaurant for not only wine dinners, but any special occasion like New Year’s Eve, or even on those days when all the small accomplishments you achieve finally add up to a nice meal out.
L’Auberge always serves an attractive amuse bouche to start. It sets a wonderful tone for the evening of beautiful presentation and flavorful dishes. The fall and winter menus incorporate Kobe and Duck, while the summer menus feature all the fresh vegetables from their garden. I will post their summer menu we just had the other night, but be sure to check out their website later in the year for new menus. They offer a three course, five course, and chef’s tasting menu.
James River Oysters- these were the creamiest texture I have ever experienced, and the mignonette served with them was the perfect amount of acidity. They were gone in minutes.
Parmesan Truffle Popcorn- We had our first truffled popcorn at the Inn at Little Washington. We try to recreate the snack at home thanks to our online truffle purchasing. L’Auberge does a great job with their version as well. With the prices they charge at the theatres, they might as well start serving truffle popcorn…we might actually go then!
Buttermilk Biscuit Crab Fritter- Roasted Garlic & Basil Aioli, Sungold Tomato Jam-Golden delicious buttery biscuit with a sharp and aromatic crab center.
Garden Tomato Soup- Wild mushroom farce, truffle froth- There is NOTHING like a hot, savory soup made fresh from the garden to get me going. It was perfection in a bowl.
Scrapple- Quail Egg, Spiced Apple Butter, Peach Butter
Warm Potato Salad- Vichey Cream, Charred Tomato Vinaigrette- Potato salad in its purest form! The potatoes (both cubed and whole baby rounds) were cooked perfectly. The cream and tomato gave such complementary flavors that I had to touch my potato in both for each bite!
Blue Cheese Brulee- Cheddar Cracker with Smoked Apple Gel, Sweetened Chevre Milk with Fruit Compote- This was Mike’s favorite part of the dinner. The goat cheese and fruit compote milkshake was beyond any cheeslover’s expectation. He asked if I could reproduce this at home…it’s a good thing we live close by, as I doubt I could ever get it to taste that good.
Painted Hills Ribeye- Cous Cous, Fried Brussels sprouts, Horseradish Foam, Dill Jus-This was Mike’s entrée and he claims it rivaled the goat cheese milkshake as the best part of the meal.
Blue Marlin- Garden Plum Tomato Puree, Haricot Vert, Amaranth- A thick square cut piece of marlin served with fresh vegetables and a tangy tomato puree.
Strawberry and Grand Mariner Soufflé with Molten Chocolate- I snapped of a picture of this bad boy for you. Soufflés are the other love of my life. I look for them everywhere. When I finally find one, I leave no trace in the dish. Such was the case here!
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