Pierre Reboul: Ode to the QuailBurger.

Whenever we go for lunch at Pierre Reboul's house of culinary magic in Aix en Provence,we feel excited like two kids about to enter FAO Schwarz in NYC...that's Hamleys to you and me . We are giddy on the drive up and too distracted to deal with the amazing shopping on hand until.... we enter and then the magic begins.

A week before :
My BF had told me in no uncertain terms that the "Caille Burger/Quail burger" was back on the menu  at Pierre Reboul and that we simply had to go; Xmas budgets be damned! And as we licked our lips Homer Simpson style while uttering "Mmmm...Caille Burger" our eyes locked and our fate was sealed.

3 days before:
I called to reserve for lunch on Saturday and right before I hung up something made me  mention the burger.....There was to be a menu change on the very day we wanted to come. Crime of all crimes!...I was speechless, my BF was bereft and all this translated into sheer desperation over the phone. The chef was consulted and Joy of Joys! Two quails were put aside for us...Now THAT is what I call service.

The QuailBurger: The gourmet burger for those in the know....

Small enough to fit into the palm of your hand...but you dare not alter the perfect symmetry.
The perfectly toasted round bun  and the sesame seeds that pop and crunch in tandem in your mouth...but wait! Before you can even sate your hunger for the juicy quail you have to pop the green ice lolly into your mouth (just seen on the left hand side of the photo) to get the full impact of this mouth watering journey. The ice stick is in fact the sophisticated version of a pickle without the crunch or the juices trickling down the sides of your mouth. Oh Boy! That will make you laugh and sigh with joy, for what is a burger without a pickle? Batman without Robin...redundant and rather sad.
 Then and only then can you take the perfect bite into the burger and I swear I could hear angels sing. The quail is soft and juicy and the relish crunchy, adding the cushion to the bun and playing havoc with your taste buds.
Close your eyes and saviour the moment .Of course Virgile, the sommelier will serve you the perfect glass of red wine to accompany your journey.

4 words to describe this experience : Bliss in a bite....and Perfect,as I seemed to have used the word rather often .

Consult the website for the menu,they change every 3 months or so...keep your eyes open for the return of the QuailBurger and then tell everyone you know about it.

"Mmmmm.... Pierre Reboul."