La Promenade in Le Petit Pressigny

There are nine restaurants in Touraine that have a Michelin star in 2010. They are:

L'Auberge du XII Siècle in Saché
Le Bon Laboureur in Chenonceaux
La Chancelière in Montbazon
La Promenade in Le Petit-Pressigny
Le Château de Marçay, Marçay near Chinon
Charles Barrier and Le Roche Le Roy in Tours
Les Hautes Roches in Rochecorbon
Le Chai du Manoir in Restigné close to Bourgueil

Le Chai du Manoir is a new star.

I understand that Jacky Dallais, who with his wife runs the wonderful restaurant – La Promenade in Le Petit Pressigny, is sometimes criticised for not playing the celebrity chef and coming out of the kitchen to greet customers. I may be old fashioned but I prefer the chef to be in the kitchen preparing my meal. Just like I don't want my bus driver to be wandering around asking how I'm enjoying the journey!

Report here on our last lunch at the La Promenade, Petit Pressigny – August 2009.

@L'Aubinière starred restaurant in Saint-Ouen-les-Vignes

The new edition of the Guide Michelin has given one restaurant in Tours a star – Au Rive Gauche (www.toursrivegauche.com/) run by Pascal Vuillemin, who used to be number two to the now retired Jean Bardet.

However, three restaurants Touraine restaurants have lost stars. Au Plaisir Gourmand in Chinon was no surprise as chef-owner Jean-Claude Rigollet has now retired and theis long established restaurant has shut. Château du Pray near Amboise has lost its star following the departure last year of chef Ludovic Laurenty, while in Amboise Le Choiseul has lost its star following chef Pacal Bouvier’s departure to Au Coin des Halles in Langeais.

Following the retirement last year of Jean Bardet there are now no two-star restaurants in Touraine. Quite why Jacky Dallais’s excellent La Promenade does not have at least two stars is beyond me and may say more about Michelin’s criteria that Jacky’s cooking and the restaurant’s excellent wine list.

La Promenade, Jacky Dallais (Le Petit Pressigny)

Further east there are two new stars in Bourges: Le Piet -à-Terre, formerly in Châteaumeillant, and D'Antan Sancerrois (www.dantansancerrois.com/).