Bordeaux - Cafe Lavinal

Having been warned that the restaurant at Chateau Cordeillan Bages is closed on Monday evenings, we were directed along a 300 metre stroll, through a very quaint village, towards Café Lavinal, also owned by the hotel. In fact, it seems that the Chateau owns most of the village.

Café Lavinal is located in a very slickly refurbished square, which is most odd, as the rest of the village is quite run down. The square sits conveniently by the tour exit of the Lynch Bages Vineyard, so guests are led out of the wine tasting experience and straight into the Lynch Bages shop where they can buy what they have just tried. How clever.

Opposite the Café Lavinal is a bakery, also owned by the Chateau, which has a façade resembling something from the set of a Hollywood movie. In fact, the entire square looks like a movie set.

Café Lavinal is new, but in the style of a traditional French Bistro. The tables outside, in the square, are the best option for lunch or a warm evening dinner. Inside, there is both an informal bar and a more conventional restaurant seating area.

The food was good; basic and simple, but good.

The charcuterie meats were sliced before our very eyes on a giant Berkel slicer. It was an impressively menacing piece of machinery.

All the starters were around the 11 and 12 euro price point and included Salade Nicoise, Terrine de Foie Gras, Salade de Saumon (smoked salmon) and Salade de Chevre Frais (goats cheese with apple).

The starters were large but the main courses were enormous - half a lamb, most of a chicken or a large fish.  No one could finish. The prices, however, were very reasonable.  Gigot D’agneau was 22 euros, Saumon Croustillant 17.50 euros and Poulet Roti 16.50 euros.

As we were resident at the Chateau Cordeillan Bages, it seemed only proper that we should sample the wine. A bottle of 1998 Cordeillan Bages was 67.85 euros. We also enjoyed a bottle of Blanc de Lynch Bages 2004 at 61.90 euros which was surprisingly good.

It is worth visiting Café Lavinal for lunch, after a guided tour of the Lynch Bages Winery. It is also worth dining there on a Monday evening if you are staying at Chateau Cordeillan Bages.

On a final note, the staff, with the exception of one waitress, were typically grumpy French. However, leaving a large tip worked wonders. Our welcome, upon returning for an early evening glass of wine the following evening, was that of a long lost friend.

Café Lavinal
Place Desquet
Hameau de Bages
Pauillac

+33 5 57 75 00 09