Le Bordeaux- Gordon Ramsey

Our first full day in Bordeaux got off to a sleepy start. We had treated Brussels a bit like Spring Break with 10:00 AM brewery visits each day and nonstop eating and drinking thereafter.  I guess my body was a little tired because I didn't open my eyes until it was almost noon.   Luckily I woke up just in time for lunch at Gordon Ramsey's Le Bordeaux. 

I've honestly never been a huge fan of Gordon Ramsey but this restaurant was absolutely gorgeous.  A lovely patio sat out front overlooking the elegant Bordeaux Opera House, while inside was a much more formal affair with white linen tablecloths, cushy red velvet love seats and a beautiful spiral staircase extending from the center of the room.

Le Bordeaux offers an amazing three course prix fixe at lunchtime but I wasn't excited about the options that day so Mr. T and I decided to split a few appetizers beginning with the delicious Cesar Salad stuffed with chicken, marinated anchovies and Parmesan cheese alongside a thick, eggy Cesar dressing.   This salad was just lovely, everything tasted incredibly fresh and it was more than ample to share with the table.

Unfortunately the Lobster Bisque didn't fare quite as well.  There was barely enough soup to cover the bottom of the bowl and the few tiny pieces of lobster were completely overwhelmed by the alcohol rich bourbon broth. 

Luckily the entrees more than made up for the bisque with a perfectly cooked South West Duck Breast served with grilled veggies and a sweet cherry and fig compote.

And my very first Steak Tartare of the trip ( don't worry there are many more to come) served finely chopped with notes of Tabasco and crunchy Melba Toast.

We enjoyed our long leisurely lunch (emphasis definitely on long)  but this still left us plenty of time to spend the rest of the afternoon exploring the streets of Bordeaux.

Le Bordeaux- Gordon Ramsey
Place de la Comedie
Bordeaux, France 33000