If you want a sure bet, this is it. Jean and Raymonde Ramet cruise peacefully along, consistently turning out cuisine of impeccable quality. You won’t find novelty here; what you will find is intense flavor. Some of the dishes are to die for, the kind of food aficionados would go miles out of their way to savor, drawn like pilgrims to Santiago de Compostela: the "simple" tuiles aux amandes or the sauté de foie gras, which is exquisitely crispy on the outside and creamy inside—just like Bordeaux’s traditional pastry, the canelé. There’s no denying that Jean Ramet works magic in the kitchen. His talent as a chef is equaled only by the legendary graciousness of his wife, Raymonde. The wine list, for its part, changes regularly and is always outstanding, in keeping with the high bar set by the cuisine.

During mushroom season, I tend to reach for girolles, a type of chanterelle with delicate, fragrant flesh.

For a unique appetizer that smells wonderful, break two or three farm-fresh eggs in a small earthenware dish, then add a few cubes of foie gras and a minced girolle. Pop the dish in the oven in a double boiler for about six minutes, then season to taste.