How about La Fourchetta Adroite, Albi?

Travel is not only about sightseeing and shopping, as a matter of fact looking for marvellous restaurant for delicious food especially the experience of dine-in restaurants that recommended by the well-known Michelin Company is a MUST! The Michelin Guide has developed over the years to become the benchmark in gourmet dining. These causing an obsession researched guides detail Michelin's selection of the excellent in cuisine and accommodations (Hotel) which help to discover the delectation. During the trip in Toulousse, France, I get to experience one of the restaurant that is under Red Michelin Guide from 2009 until today 2013 called "LA FOURCHETTE ADROITE" opened at Albi. Surprisingly that La Fourchette Adroite is present in consecutive years of Red Michelin Guide as throughout the trip including Paris I observed that the most restaurant presented in 1 or 2 years only. 

LA FOURCHETTE ADROITE is opened on July 7th in year 2007 at Albi. Albi is 85km northeast of Toulouse while the restaurant located at 7, Place de l'archeveche which is easy to catch sight of because it is nearby to the church called Cathedral of Albi, built in 13th century. La Fourchette Adroite serve French cuisine with their specialities of Lunch and Dinner. Therefore their operation hours divide into 2 shifts which between 12pm until 2pm and 7:30pm until 10pm and they are open daily. La Fourchette Adroite also has other services available that includes catering, waiter service, outdoor seating and good for groups. Moreover, this is a loft style restaurant with modern architecture in a historic setting whereby the entrance of the restaurant on your left is sofas with few cushions, a standing lamp by the side and neat arrangement of magazines on the coffee table that shows the sense of relaxation and comforts alike as home. There is also a wine cooler that placed in the wall that save space. While on your right is the perfect entertainment of bar tables then it is straight to all the seats and a stairway up to another dining area. Therefore, La Fourchette Adroite has 3 different areas that are available for the guest to enjoy their dining. Another area is at the small walkway just outside the restaurant that allow you to enjoy the weather.

Apart from the restaurant background, La Fourchetta Adroite served a choice of set menu only which include appetizer, main course and dessert and children menu, there is no ala-carte at all. The most unexpected is you get to choose your own preferable course such as single dish or 2 course with the choice of appetizer and main course only or main course and dessert or full course whereby appetizer, main course and dessert. By that, it able to cut down wastages for guests who afraid the portion is too much or small appetite. Although it is a set menu, there are 3 different tempting selections available for each course that might attract you to order all and try because there is choice with varieties of meats such as either beef, fish or pork while desserts are either cheese with jam, strawberry soup and mille crepe cake. The menu design is so simple just plain white color consists only 2 pages whereby page 1 is lunch and page 2 is dinner set menu. For the beverages they only serve wine and these are produce from Gaillac, The South West, Burgundy, Bordeaux, Provence, Champagne, The Loire Valley and Languedoc Rousillon. On the menu, I noticed there is black ribbons at each edge of the paper due to they often have new menu which is interesting but there was no English menu. However, the waiter were patience when explaining each and every dishes to us. After a clear explanation, I have decided to choose 2 course meal of main course was Pork breast confit, prawns and peas and dessert was Tomme sheep and black cherry jam and a bottle of rose wine among us. While waiting for our meal, all of us enjoyed the cold weather, take pictures of the nice scenery, chit-chatting. 

Before food can be serve, the restaurant provided bread and butter in a small basket while waiting and it can be refill. Finally the meal were served for those who have ordered appetizer, some of us did not order but we still get to taste each other food in order to evaluate the quality of each single dish. The garnish and food presentation were ease to the eyes as the color presence well, arrangement were neat the most important is the portion of each dish totally sufficient as it was not little. Furthermore, the price range of the menu is falls betwen €12 - € 17 which I found it is so reasonable. At first, I assumed price falls around €25++ for restaurant in list of Michelin guide and portion might be small but we all were totally wrong. After enjoyed such wonderful lunch, I was so regret I did not order the full course meal especially the appetizer dishes were all delicious after I had tasted. It is so........WORTH to try with price of € 17 for full course meal and the most mattering much is the quality of the food were all up to standard along with heavenly taste. 

Service is greatly crucial as well regardless the food is delicious yet La Fourchetta Adroite has done an excellent job because they delivered what they promise as part of the Michelin Guide. For my main course prawn is the first food I tried and I was satisfied because it was chewy which mean it is fresh and not overcooked otherwise it will be too soft. For the pork, the sauce balance well with the meat and peas as it was not too salty or lack of taste. After that, once everybody has done with their meal the waiters only will start to clear the cutleries then serve the next meal which represent a respect from French. Therefore the waiters were being aware to each table even though we were dining at outdoor they checked frequently. They also immediately change new cutleries whenever customers have utilized so all the time even table was clean. 

Overall, I do not consider the service slow due to French when having course meal, they always serve the next meal after everyone has done consumed. Moreover, the waiters are skillful especially collecting all the plates and cutleries at once whereby there were total 8 of us in that case the next meal can be served in time as well. Based on my experience, La Fourchetta Adroite has impressed me the most compare to other restaurants that I have dined. Although I did not order any appetizer but I get to try the 3 different choices from friend's ordered and were truly an eye opener for me as all so delicious and it made me wonder whether my main course could over score the appetizer? Eventually, the main course was equally delicious until I could not define how satisfied was I. I was highly pleasing to the taste and smell of my main course Pork breast confit served side dishes of prawn and peas. 

The food was outstanding in its simplicity, you get to choose your own course accompany varieties of wine, service is complete and efficient. All you need is to relax and wait for the delicate food to be served!