Le Cheval Noir, Argenton-Sur-Creuse, France

When the first meal in a country goes well, it sets a nice tone for the rest of the trip. Often we do not do sure a great job of making that happen. We are exhausted (this trip was no exception--we even napped a bit after we checked in to our hotel before getting up to explore the town) and our judgement is not always the best. I hadn't even scoped out what might be open on Sunday at lunch time, so unprepared for this trip was I. Luckily none of that mattered. We found a Michelin plate restaurant open and were the last diners sat.

The fixed price menu for 35 Euros became a theme this trip, and it started here. The starter for me (pictured above) was spectacular--perfectly poached shrimp and scallops in a saffron flavored cream sauce, was incredibly delicious. My spouse had fois gras stuffed ravioli with a muchroom sauce that was equally amazing, and the main courses came with the classic French mashed potatoes that seem to be equal parts butter, cream, and potatoes, that is how rich and delicious they taste. We could not manage to eat the cheese course that followed, so we got an aller container that was so perfect that we used it up to the last meal we had in France. Recommended!