Known for their expensive omelettes (up to €49 a plate) La Mere Poulard is an important stop to make when visiting Le Mont St. Michel. Also known for their world famous cookies, this restaurant has been visited by thousands if not millions of people from across the world including celebrities, presidents and kings.
Located at the entrance of Le Mont St. Michel (Normandy) is an iconic restaurant. Wait in line for a table to be free and enter a small room where lunch is served until 2pm only. A white ceiling, hundreds of signed photos from celebrities who have visited the Mont, a stone arcade replicating the church up the hill, dimmed lights, tables decorated with white tablecloths, napkins and crystal glasses with a flower in the middle make up the restaurant's decor. Two sets of mirrors make the place look bigger.
The menu looks complicated at first until you read through its four pages. Three kinds of set menu: Omelettes for €40, starters for €25 and other specialities for €45. Choose your set menu from €45, €55 or €65 including a starter, main course and dessert.
After ordering, walk to the entrance and witness your omelette being prepared in the big oven: a huge omelette prepared by a woman who masters the art of wood baking. She cooks one, puts it aside and starts with another, throws butter on the fire, moves the charcoal and repeats the act one omelette at a time. A must see at La Mere Poulard.
Starters arrived a few minutes after ordering, good food for a place considered a tourists' restaurant:
- Foie Gras: spiced duck foie gras served with a sweet jam and nut toasted bread. Good quality foie gras and bread.
- Salade de Mesclun: shredded vegetables. A good dish but a bit too oily.
- Shrimps and spiced tomatoes with lettuce. Unappetizing to look at.
- Velouté lobster. As one would expect.
Now the main plates, the long awaited omelettes:
When you receive the omelette, you understand why it's expensive. I'm not saying it's justified but as the preparation was 30 minutes it is clear there is skill involved. A huge portion of eggs, those I enjoyed watching being transformed a few minutes ago, are served on a rectangular plate; an envelope of golden yellow and a load of foam - a true omelette baveuse. Mine had five scallops, my wife's included a load of smoked salmon, my mother in law's included a whole pack of bacon... a journey and surely not a simple meal.
Very watery, adequately salty, spinach with mine and potatoes for the others... unfortunately the plates are not hot enough. It's the omelette one should try only once in a lifetime. I've traveled, I've tasted, I've toured the world for eggs... these are different and unique. And now I can proudly say that I've tried one of the world's most expensive omelettes. Check the photos to understand what I'm talking about.
Desserts:
- Here is where I was impressed! The sweet omelette consists of diced apples, salted caramel, sugar and calvados flambée. The egg foam, crispy sugar, and intense alcohol flavor combined with salted caramel is sublime. I never imagined eating eggs for dessert and loving it! Two thumbs up for this.
- Baba au Rum: good ingredients but the bread is a bit dry. It can be improved.
- Creme brûlée: good custard like it should be.
- Tarte tatin: Not my kind of dessert. Chewy dough, average apples.
Is it worth the wait and price paid? I'm happy to have tried it only to put it in my repertoire of unconventional things eaten. But I still think that €49 for an omelette is way too much!
