This week, Susan Gish visited the historic village of Cucuron in the Luberon and had her first restaurant meal in three months. She writes:Finally the start of “A Good Year” with A Good Meal at MatCha in Cucuron!
We’re having a genuine spring! The mornings are cool and the afternoons warm but not too hot. Now there are less airplanes and road traffic and you can actually smell springtime: lavender, broom/gorse/genisteae, magnolia, honeysuckle, rosemary, thyme, and pine. The perfume of the flowers, the garrigue, are stronger than we’ve smelled in years. The poppies are still here and the lavender fields are just about in their prime. Gorgeous splashes of colour in the countryside. The grapevines are in full leaf, while olive and almond trees are showing the beginnings of fruit. Mirabelles! Cerises! Driving around we’re always reminded of how France still has deep agricultural roots. We visited a friend’s garden a week ago in Puy St. Reparade. There’s a gorgeous 300 year old mulberry tree that was planted when the silk merchant from Lyon built the house. Just amazing.
So we took a lovely drive and ventured out for our first restaurant meal in 3 months in Cucuron.
Cucuron’s l’etang (or pond) is beautiful and has been featured in two movies: “A Good Year” and “The Horseman on the Roof”. The basin is surrounded by plane trees and its water was originally sourced from the Luberon massif, which helped to operate a flour mill. The present village dates from before the 11th century. The basin now is only ornamental.
The commune of Cucuron suffered a serious plague epidemic in 1720, exactly 300 years ago!
We have dined at the restaurant MatCha quite a few times previously, and thought that a Monday lunch would be perfect as there wouldn’t be very many people wandering about. It was just what we needed as we missed dining out – to relax and have lunch for a few hours. We reserved to sit outside, not close to others. Everything was very, very clean, I felt totally comfortable. (Their toilet was really clean as well, which was a concern of mine). Matthieu, the pleasant front of the house owner and waiter, was wearing a mask.
The little details and the creativity of the food at MatCha impress us every time. Owned by a young couple, Charlotte D’Angelis is the amazingly talented chef and Matthieu Charrier runs the front of the house. They use seasonal ingredients sourced locally.
It’s probably the most creative and delicious restaurant we’ve been to in a few years in Provence. No kidding. Even better than a few 1stars we’ve eaten at. Beats anyplace in Aix.
MatCha is listed in Michelin and Gaut Millau but the restaurant is not fussy at all. In fact it is very casual.
They have a 3 course weekday lunch menu for 22 euros which I had.
Sam ordered off the regular menu which was 39euros for 3 courses.
We had a delicious white Burgundy from Macon-Azé for 33 euros.
Sam started off with petit moules, fresh petit pois with a light curry bouillon poured over at service. It was served just lukewarm, perfect. I had rillettes of maquereux. Normally mackerel is too strong and greasy for me. This was melt in your mouth delicious. Crispy cucumber, radishes, spicy sprouts and scallion added to the party my mouth was having.For our main courses, I had cabillaud with an aioli foam, accompanied by vegetable beignets, carrots, potatoes, beets, and grilled zucchini slices. Sam’s plat was loup with a lightly fried zucchini blossom, courgette mousse with pumpkin seeds and verveine oil.
Our desserts were a chocolate mixture of all sorts of textures and chocolate pieces with Sarrasin ice cream! Wow! Also a Praline Dacquoise with chocolate, citron and topped with tarragon. Very unique, and the flavors all worked together.
Funny that we both chose fish for our first meal out. They do have vegetarian options as well as meat on the menu.
Chef Sam and Susan
P.S. There’s even a gentle ‘house’ english setter dog named Litchee!
MatCha – the details
Montée du château vieux – Cucuron. It is located just off l’etang up a little street at the other end from the parking lot, but there is a little view of the plane trees if you sit outside.
Tel: 04 86 78 55 96; you do need a reservation as they get booked up
@matcharestaurant – also on Facebook
Open Thursday thru Monday, lunch and dinner. Closed Tuesdays and Wednesdays
When I saw this header in today’s Times, I thought, ‘I bet they are going to recommend Porquerolles’. The largest of the little cluster of islands off the coast near Hyeres usually makes these annual listings, and sure enough, it did today too.
And if you want to visit Notre Dame de la Garde for one of the best views of the Med, the 
