Few minutes from Grenoble is La Corne D'Or a restaurant located in Corenc with stunning views of the city and its surrounding mountains. There, the Borrel family created a relaxed atmosphere in a wonderful setting, where Chef Alexandre Bonnel feeds hungry patrons not only stunned by the views, but also by the creativity of his food. This is not a Michelin starred restaurant, but it surely deserves to be recognized.

Dining room at La Corne D'Or in Corenc, France

Terrace at La Corne D'Or in Corenc, France

We were there for a double celebration: my Dad's birthday as well as Father's Day. As it was the week end, our only choice was to trust the Chef and get whatever he had in mind that day. For Jodi, being vegetarian was not a problem at all and all of her dishes were as mouth watering as mine, definitely not like side dishes or even an afterthought, but rather succulent creations for the Chef. Here is what we had:

Aperitif: a tradition in France to have a cocktail before meal.

Me: the house made cocktail made with champagne and elderberry (sureau in French).

House cocktail at La Corne D'Or in Corenc, France

Jodi: an orange lemonade that is 100% organic, made in a city close by with water from the Vercors.

Limorange at La Corne D'Or in Corenc, France

Amuse bouche - they were composed of:

Beet tart with elderberry (after our experience at Noma few years ago, we are getting used to eating flowers...).
Fennel purée with artichoke and sesame.
Beef gyoza.

Amuse bouche at La Corne D'Or in Corenc, France

Fennel purée at La Corne D'Or in Corenc, France

Beet tart at La Corne D'Or in Corenc, France

Beef gyoza at La Corne D'Or in Corenc, France

Second amuse bouche: it was maquereau a l'escabeche (mackerel with escabeche sauce), zucchini velouté, peas and fermented celery. Jodi got the same dish but without the fish.

Maquereau a l'escabeche at La Corne D'Or in Corenc, France

Appetizer: cauliflower cooked in different ways. It was like a mousse of cauliflower sitting on a crumble, pickled red onions, soubise sauce (sauce made with onions and butter) and haddock (Jodi did have the same dish but without the fish).

Cauliflower at La Corne D'Or in Corenc, France

As we did the wine pairing, they served us a white wine from France, Ondine, but I admit that I cannot remember what it tasted like, focusing more on the food...

Ondine, French white wine a La Corne D'Or in Corenc, France

Entremet (an entremet is a small dish served between courses): cumbawa (Sort of lemon used in Thai cuisine) sorbet, ginger, lemon and lime, sesame crumble with an espelette pepper tuile.

Entremet at La Corne D'Or in Corenc, France

For the entrée:

Me - Fish course - organic trout from the Vercors (it was poached), trout eggs, carrot purée, carrots and peanuts tuile.

Organic trout at La Corne D'Or in Corenc, France

Jodi - vegetable plate composed of carrots, carrot purée, asparagus. potato and peanut tuile.

Vegetable plate at La Corne D'Or in Corenc, France

The wine served with it was a Causse Marines Les Greilles, Gaillac 2016:

Causse Marines Les Greilles, Gaillac at La Corne D'Or in Corenc, France

Then, a pre-dessert (interesting concept but let's be honest, it means we had two desserts...Yum!). It was a juniper mousse with lemon confit, lime zest and a buckwheat tuile.

Juniper mousse at La Corne D'Or in Corenc, France

And for dessert, a strawberry theme with strawberry compote, strawberry soup, sorbet made with mint, tarragon and coriander, and a pistachio tuile as well as crushed pistachios.

Strawberry dessert at La Corne D'Or in Corenc, France

The dessert wine is called Pet'Nat' that is Pétillant-naturel (natural sparkling), an ancient winemaking style from France. It was a sweet sparkling rosé, perfect with that dessert.

Pet' Nat' wine at La Corne D'Or in Corenc, France

Overall the meal was fantastic: creative, each plate looked beautiful and tasting very good, including the desserts that were a good way to end such a nice experience. Don't you hate when you have a great meal but the dessert is not good at all? Or worse: when there is no dessert? I surely don't. So, if you are near Corenc, LA Corne D'Or is a good address for a Michelin Star like meal.

Enjoy (I did)!

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La Corne d'Or - 159 Route de Chartreuse, 38700 Corenc, France

My trip to France: La Corne D'Or in Corenc, France

I Just Want To Eat!