Romance & Du Jour Charlotte

I am an absolute, 100%, diehard romantic.  I love music swelling, happily ever afters, beautiful poetry and old love letters.  Provence is a place for romantics.

And perhaps one of the most romantic places I have ever seen in a film, was in A Good Year.  Russell Crowe's character woos a local Frenchwoman and takes her to dinner at an outdoor cafe.  They sit under umbrellas, with white lights strung between the trees and listen to a live band.  Behind the musicians, on an outdoor movie screen, an old black and white film plays in the background.

I told Mrs. Bob that if we happened upon that location, I'd sit down and never leave France.

Readers, we found that location ...

And I am still in France ... just not so much PHYSICALLY as mentally ...

The only thing that made leaving this place acceptable was that we had reservations at Du Jour Charlotte, a restaurant down the street from Mas d'Etoiles ... my future home ... the owners just don't know it yet.

We pulled up to Du Jour Charlotte and were greeted by perhaps the cutest sign I've ever seen in my life.

We walked through a small courtyard lit by a setting sun.

And had the chalkboard menu brought to the table by Serge Alvarez, who owned the restaurant with his wife.

(Note to SSG: Must purchase chalkboard menu ASAP.)

For 25 euro, you got an amuse bouche, salad, main course and dessert.  The wine, a bottle of "A Mon Pere" made us moan at the first sip.

Our amuse bouche was a chilled gazpacho with a garnish of cucumber.

We all got the asparagus salad with jambon and freshly shaved parmesan.  But the main course ... the MAIN COURSE ...

For me, was a homemade ravioli about 4 inches in diameter, stuffed with spinach and ricotta, topped with the catch of the day and thinly sliced zucchini and peppers.  I almost cried.

This was the type of meal we had planned to have in France.  We stayed in the restaurant for over two hours.  We'd learn that Serge was a famous photographer, having published books about Gordes and the Luberon.  One of his pictures was on the cover of Paris Match magazine when he photographed the former president's daughter for an interview the magazine did.  His wife Charlotte, the chef, was LOVELY.   And their friends, a British couple dining at the next table were hilarious.

After dessert of homemade chocolate mousse, we left the restaurant full and happy, warmed by the meal, wine and company.  It will remain my favorite dining experience in France ... well, tied for first of course with the macaroons of Paris.