If anyone tells me right now that he/she will be visiting Giverny, my immediate response is “Call Le Jardin des Plumes, book a table in their restaurant and treat yourself to a wonderful meal”. It may only be a few months old, but at its helm is Chef Joackim Salliot, who interprets the vision of Michelin-starred Chef Eric Guérin, and a warm welcome from the maitresse de maison, Nadia Socheleau, awaits all. Seriously – Just. Do. It.

Tucked hidden away from the main village on rue du Millieu but mere handful few minutes walk away from the Musée des Impressionnismes, the restaurant is part of an elegant boutique hotel surrounded by the calm of the countryside. Few visitors of the village explore beyond rue Claude Monet, so this is, for now, truly off the beaten track.

The four of us were lucky to snag the last table available in the dining room for the Saturday when we were visiting. However, on arrival, given the sky had cleared up after the morning shower and with sunray beaming down gloriously, we opted to eat at the garden terrace. One must always seize the day, right? And of course we ordered apéro to kick start our decadent lunch ;)

I went for a glass of sweet white wine (it was Coteaux de l’Aubance) and was happily sipping away when we were brought a plate of wafers and dips to nibble on. Between the herby goat’s cheese dip and the tapenade, we all agreed that the creamy cheese dip works well with the crunchy wafers. Fear not, we did not waste a bit of the tapenade either. As soon as some freshly-baked bread slices were brought to the table, we made tapenade toasties.

Amuse-bouche was presented next, a small dish each containing a quail egg with radishes, mashed root vegetable and asparagus sauce. It was a small bite, but one that whetted the apetite. At this point, Anne remarked that this had all the makings for a wonderful holiday in the countryside. In fact, all of us felt like we were on holidays, not just a day-trip away from Paris after a long working week, with another just round the corner. That relaxed feeling was priceless.

We had chosen from the lunch menu, of which there were two options each for starter and main course, plus dessert of the day. Like all good food-loving couple, Frédéric and I ordered one of each so we get to taste all of them. Both Chloé and Anne also opted for the same starter as Frédéric, while Chloé and I ordered the same main course. The 3-course menu is priced €36 per person. (I did feel a twinge of regret not adding another €10 to get an extra cheese course, after I saw the cheese trolley passing by later on, when we had just finished the meal.)

All three of my lunch companions had chosen roasted gambas served with guacamole, beans and pink grapefruit vinaigrette. I stole a taste of the delicious accompaniments but not the gambas (I was not quick enough and F had gobbled them down – in fairness, it was his plate) and came to the conclusion that I like my choice better. The colourful dish consisted of artichoke, artichoke flower, cauliflower, marinated haddock, salami, roasted tomatoes, micro-greens and vinaigrette of barigoule. It was bursting with flavour and texture, and I could definitely eat more of these any day!

After our attentive waiter cleared the table (they also replaced the cutleries in between every dish), we were swiftly served with our main courses. Both Anne and Frédéric savoured their dish of cod with white asparagus, fresh peas, capers and seaweed jus. The bite that I stole from Frédéric was fresh and not at all salty like I had expected, given the use of capers and seaweed. The peas were perfectly cooked to a crunch, which in turn gave the dish some contrasting texture.

Chloé and I had a more meaty main course of pan fried duck with herby rice, croutons, shitake mushroom, grilled fresh onion and sesame broth. I love it that the skin was crispy while the meat remained succulent and tender. The sesame broth was rich but not overpowering, and I wish there were more juicy shittake mushrooms on my plate. This combination with an Asian touch totally wow-ed me over.

Our dessert of the day felt, looked and tasted of summer. Shortbread with fresh strawberry, pistachio, pistachio cream, strawberry jelly, confit cherry tomato and lime sorbet – we were devouring it with our eyes and our mouths. The warm weather meant the sorbet didn’t last very long before it melted into a small puddle and therefore difficult to spoon, so I just used the shortbread as aid to soak them up.

We also get some mini sweeteners at the end – very light and fluffy vanilla marshmellow as well as chocolate bites with peanut butter. They were not exactly peanut butter reese, but better and more chocolate-y in taste. I reckon it could also be made amazing with just a bit more dark chocolate added to the proportion.

I’ll have you know, writing this blog post is currently making me very hungry, but I shall refrain myself from snacking, and will instead introduce you to the charming views which we enjoyed throughout our lunch. This calm garden comes with a short riverlet, a pond, secret nooks with benches, a couple of sculptures, and there were even a pair of resident ducklings in the pond.

Before we left, I also took a peek into the lounge area and the dining room. The dining room was absolutely bustling and for not wanting to disturb the other diners, I did not take any photos of the bright and airy room which is also gracefully furnished.

The lounge area is separated into two small rooms, one which is more cosy and Orientally themed, and the other a mix of Art Deco and something more modern, but with a view of the veranda and the garden outside. A bar can also be found in the latter.

We were very well looked after by the efficient and friendly members of staff. The meal was outstanding, and well priced given the quality of fare that we were served. The relaxed atmosphere further put us at ease and we felt like we were thousands of miles away from all the day-to-day concerns.

Le Jardin des Plumes is clearly already a hit among those in the know, and it is even ranked the number one spot to eat when visiting Giverny. It undoubtedly makes an unforgettable getaway too, if the photos of the four rooms that they have are anything to go by. For a (mid-week) intimate getaway that’s not too far from Paris, it would be hard to beat all what’s on offer here.

Le Jardin des Plumes
1 rue du Millieu, 27620 Giverny
Phone: +33 (0)2 32 54 26 35
Restaurant opens daily for lunch and dinner, except Monday (all day) and Tuesday (lunch)