Auberge de l'Ill

Description:

• This is the greatest restaurant in eastern France. Run by the Haeberlin family in their 19th-century farmhouse, Auberge de l'Ill combines the finest Alsatian specialties with cuisine moderne and classic offerings. You can enjoy your aperitif or coffee under the weeping willows in a beautiful garden with a river view. Chef Marc Haeberlin takes dishes of Alsatian origin and makes them into grande cuisine -- freshwater eel stewed in Riesling, matelotes (small glazed onions) in Riesling, and an inventive foie gras. His partridge, pheasant, and duckling are among the best in Europe. Two unsurpassed choices are braised slices of pheasant and partridge served with winey game sauce, chestnuts, wild mushrooms, and Breton cornmeal; and salmon soufflé. A divine starter is mousseline of frogs' legs with white-wine and chive sauce; you may follow that with mallard duckling lacquered with spices and served with a confit of red cabbage and figs. Some dishes require 24 hours' notice, so inquire when you make reservations.

  You can spend the night in one of 13 rooms at the Hôtel des Berges, in a delightfully furnished, air-conditioned room overlooking the Ill River. The rates are 262€ to 300€ ($380-$435) for a double, 350€ to 520€ ($508-$754) for a suite, and 465€ ($674) for a decade-old cottage on the grounds.

• © Frommer's 2012

Awards:

Frommer's

•  Very Highly Recommended 2010