French may be my second language, but France is my spiritual home. There's just this strange yet welcome sense of homecoming; a release and excitement that flows through my veins whenever I'm there. It took every ounce of my willpower not to stray west during summer travels, but I delayed gratification because our first international study trip was to Lyon and Dijon. For years this region has been on my radar, but on recent trips I was seduced by the east, Alsace, Bayonne to the southwest, Corsica and always, Provence and Languedoc. The wait was over. I was on the bus bright and early for Lyon, arguably the gastronomic capital of France.
There are many well-known names in French cuisine, but Paul Bocuse, father of nouvelle cuisine might be the most venerable. Alas, university budgets don't extend to Michelin-starred restaurants, but we were booked for dinner at one of his bistros, Le Nord. This had been no small topic of conversation among us avid foodies for the entire bus ride from Italy.
While charming and typically French in its well-lit dining room, richly hued walls and overflowing with local wine, the meal was a hit and miss.
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| Decadent, rich onion soup: the highlight of the meal |
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| Quenelle de brochet: a Lyon specialty of creamed Pike, breadcrumbs and egg, poached and served over rice |
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| Frozen nougat |
However, the walk back to our hotel through the streets of Lyon in the crisp night air was a solid finish to day one.
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