Café des Fédérations, Lyon

A little over ten years ago I was a student in Lyon, and as a 20-year old who thought he knew it all I spent the year in what is regarded (at least in the city) as the gastronomic capital of France without stepping foot in any of the more highly regarded restaurants. So when we were passing through and spending a couple of nights in Lyon last year the time had come to sample a true 'Bouchon' - a traditional Lyonnais restaurant.

Cafe ...
...that it was virtually impossible to get a table without a booking. With this in mind we arrived early, so early in fact that the staff were quite happily sat at the back of the small, perfectly French, room smoking cigarettes and drinking red wine. The reception, however, was friendly and a couple of minutes later we were sat at a small table for two with the restaurant fast filling up. Indeed a few moments later and some more tourists arrived looking ... more

A little over ten years ago I was a student in Lyon, and as a 20-year old who thought he knew it all I spent the year in what is regarded (at least in the city) as the gastronomic capital of France without stepping foot in any of the more highly regarded restaurants. So when we were passing through and spending a couple of nights in Lyon last year the time had come to sample a true 'Bouchon' - a traditional Lyonnais restaurant.

Cafe des Federations came highly recommended, and with the stern warning that it was virtually impossible to get a table without a booking. With this in mind we arrived early, so early in fact that the staff were quite happily sat at the back of the small, perfectly French, room smoking cigarettes and drinking red wine. The reception, however, was friendly and a couple of minutes later we were sat at a small table for two with the restaurant fast filling up. Indeed a few moments later and some more tourists arrived looking for a table who weren't so lucky.

And lucky we definitely were. Before we even got to the food, the atmosphere is one of completely relaxed bonhomie. There is a buzz, sharing the room with friends out to relax and office workers finished the day having looked forward to this since lunchtime. It maybe helped that we were speaking French as well, but the service was perhaps the friendliest I have ever come across, and each item on the set menu explained to us with knowledge and no small amount of passion and pride.

We just knew we were somewhere where food is truly appreciated. That much was made abundantly clear as it arrived. The exact choices escape me just now (save for on, of which shortly), but whether there were puy lentils or warm lardons, the starter sized plates which just kept arriving were absolutely superb. As was the wine we had ordered. This isn\'t a place for big, fancy names in wine. The owner simply sources wine that tastes divine, which is then sold by the 'pot'. Given we were in the Cotes du Rhone region it's no surprise that this was excellent.

The starters were merely there as a taster (even though it was a HUGE taster). The main courses then took centre stage. My girlfriend opted for the 'safe' boudin noir (black pudding) and apples. I'd decided I wanted to try the local speciality: andouillettes.

This gets to the heart (if you'll pardon the pun) of bouchon cuisine. The menu is not only heavily meat-biased, but is safely in the realms of offal. And the andouillette is the pinnacle of offal achievement using all sorts of unmentionable parts of a pig to create a truly unique sausage. Now normally I'm not a fan of offal, and shied away from the sheep's head, but digging in here I was in total heaven and cleaned my plate with impatient relish.

And still it didn't finish. Ordering a cheese board in France is somewhat different to home where you either get a cheap board lavished with orange cheddar; or a cart to choose from, gaining a tiny portion of each choice. Here the cheese was, each and every bit, excellent quality, and there was enough to feed a table of eight, let alone us two.

How on earth I managed a dessert afterwards I'm not sure, but a bitter cheesecake matched everything which had gone before.

Every single preconception about French food and restaurants was on show here. The room was noisy and fun, with red or blue plastic gingham tablecloths; expansive discussion over glasses of dark red wine; winderful food in abundant platefuls. The one and only thing missing was the surly waiter who resents your very existence - it's no accident that we spent over 3 hours here, and never felt any need to move on, nor any pressure from the staff to do so. Enjoy your food; enjoy your wine; enjoy the company.

The French have it right when it comes to food.

And that this all came to less than 100 euros was truly astounding (about 85 euros in total, for four courses and three of pots of wine). If I ever end up back in Lyon again, there is simply no doubt as to where I will be going to eat. 

...less