AFAR magazine recently ran a cover story where I eat my way through the bouchons of Lyon, France. Bouchons are quirky little restaurants serving traditional, home-style Lyonnais cooking. They typically offer portions equally as large as the personalities of their owners. One wonderful bouchon got cut from the story, so I’m including a bit about it here…

Joseph Viola of the bouchon Daniel et Denise (Photos by R. Paul Herman)

Joseph Viola has made what some might consider a strange career move. In addition to cooking in Michelin-rated kitchens, he is a Meilleur Ouvrier de France (“Best Worker of France”). An elite few chefs attain this honor by undergoing rigorous testing and competition.

Yet, seven years back, just after attaining MOF status, Viola chose to purchase a little bouchon named Daniel et Denise. And, though the namesakes are long-gone, Viola kept the name. “Lyon’s people like history that lasts. If I changed the name, I’d be cutting history in half,” he explains.

Bouchon Daniel et Denise is packed and bustling at lunch - reservations are a must

I talk with Viola after sampling his traditional three-course Lyonnais lunch of pâté en croute (paté in a pastry crust) made with foie gras and sweetbreads…

The award-winning paté en croute at Daniel et Denise

Quenelle de brochet (Lyon’s famous blimp-shaped pikefish dumpling) with sauce Nantua (a vibrant-orange crayfish sauce)…

Quenelle de brochet, a Lyon specialty, at Daniel et Denise

On the side, thoroughly decadent potatoes gratin, rich with cream, and – as if that wasn’t enough – perfect, crispy coins of fried potatoes, too…

Potato side-dishes at bouchon Daniel et Denise (fortunately I could compensate by climbing the seven flights of stairs at the apartment where I stayed!)

And for dessert, ile flottante, fluffy poached meringue floating on a pool of crème anglaise…

Ile Flottante, with Lyon's famous pink pralines in the center

It’s easy to taste why the restaurant’s pâté en croute won a worldwide competition last year, and the quenelle is the best version I’ve ever eaten.

“Taste is supreme,” Viola tells me. He wears a crisp, white chef’s jacket with the red, white and blue collar that marks him as a Meilleur Ouvrier. ”I use only the best products, and I shop every morning. There is no cold room here – ingredients are only in the restaurant at most 24 hours.”

But accolades aside, like all bouchon fare, Viola’s plates are simple and presented without pretense. “I don’t use a lot of garnish,” he tells me. “If the main dish and sauce aren’t good, there’s nothing to hide behind.” The same goes for ambiance. “People come to me for what’s on the plate,” Viola says, “not the décor. They want a good meal, not good tableware.”

Viola’s sense of balance in life gives me something to ponder. “We only have one service at lunch and one at dinner,” he explains. “I want to give the clients time to eat. It’s better to satisfy 65 people than to serve 150 and not do it well.” That philosophy extends to his personal life, too. Daniel et Denise is closed on weekends, he says, because, “I don’t want to succeed in my career and not in my family life.”

"Pots lyonnais," thick-bottomed bottles of house wine on the bar at Daniel et Denise

Like all the best bouchon proprietors, Viola works the room. “I like to look at clients while they’re eating and after they’ve finished,” he admits. “People eat and then keep talking about food. It’s like a good religion! When you have a good meal, the world stops.

“This is hard work,” he says as he sees me out the door, “but it gives me great satisfaction.”

Daniel et Denise is located at 156 rue de Créqui in the 3rd arrondissement; telephone 04 78 60 66 53. It’s open for lunch and dinner Monday-Friday; be sure to reserve well in advance. Viola also recently took over a bouchon in Old Lyon, the UNESCO World Heritage area of the city. La Machonnerie is at 36 rue Tramassac, 5th arrondissement; telephone 04 78 42 24 62. It’s open for lunch and dinner Tuesday-Saturday; reservations also recommended.

After nearly 30 hours of travel, I was definitely in a dream-like state! A 3-hour layover in New York turned into a 10-hour layover, due to a delayed Royal Air Maroc flight. When I finally got to my hotel, the faded grande dame Royal Mansour (Note to self: avoid Moroccan businesses with “royal” in the name), I was ready for an easy, basic meal.

I found L’Etoile Centrale, a modest restaurant tucked away in a street that borders the food market. The walls were decorated with tile and plaster work…

L'Etoile Centrale's classic Moroccan decor

I ordered a Moroccan classic, chicken tagine with preserved lemon, olives and onion. The waiter brought bread, along with black olives and harissa, a fiery spread…

The bread and little snacks came first, then the steaming tagine

When my tagine arrived, the waiter lifted off the conical top and a cloud of steam billowed up. Moroccan chicken is wonderfully flavorful, but tougher than American chicken because the birds run around and build up more muscle. The onions had caramelized into a wonderful sauce – perfect for dipping bread…

Chicken tagine with preserved lemon (that's the lemon slice you see resting on the chicken)

I was invited on a cooking tour with Access Trips, so on this, my second visit to Morocco, I’ll be doing more than just eating tagines – I’ll learn how to make them. I’ll share the recipes and techniques, so we’ll all be able to satisfy our tagine dreams.

Porchetta, from Parmacotto, in Italy

Bursting with the flavor of herbs and roasted pork, this deli-style porchetta surprised and amazed me. Parmacotto products are sold in Costco stores – though I’ve yet to see the porchetta there. Why not? I would easily be seduced into buying a 10-lb warehouse package!

Bellweather Farms fresh ricotta

I was just in Sicily last November and swooned over the fresh ricotta cheese – nothing like the grainy, flavorless versions usually found in the U.S. Now Bellweather Farms has captured that fresh, Italian taste perfectly with their whole-milk ricotta – and they’ve even formed it in baskets, Sicilian-style. Available at Whole Foods.

Saba, from Terra Sonoma

Saba-saba-do! Terra Sonoma cooks down grape must (left behind from the wine crush) for hours to make this rich, concentrated culinary syrup. It would be equally good drizzled over fruit or roasted meats. Available online or at Williams-Sonoma.

The new Asian version of Taste #5 Umami Paste

I like this Asian, vegetarian version of Taste #5 (should they call it Taste #6?) even better than the original version. Chef Morimoto had a hand in the creation, and notes of lemongrass, soy sauce and other tastebud-popping ingredients left me wanting more.

Sweet Olive Jam, from Greece

I’m a sucker for foods that defy convention – and Sweet Olive Jam is a perfect example. It was just one of many unusual spreads (apricot and almond, for example) from Mt. Vikos that are made to pair with cheeses. Available online.

Fomz - Fruit foams, with just 4 calories per serving

These not-too-sweet fruit foams are a food-service product, designed primarily to be drink toppers. But after sampling Fomz, I thought they’d be great on fresh fruit or yogurt, squirted on a graham cracker or granola bar – or just slurped off my finger! With just 4 calories per 2 tablespoons, they pack a lot of flavor for the diet-conscious.

High Road, a very adult ice cream - this flavor with bourbon

There were plenty of ice creams on show, but two stood out for their remarkable mouth-feel and deep, complex flavor combinations. Interestingly, both were developed by chefs. High Road had some killer flavors, including Mango-Chili-Lime sorbet and a wicked Brown-Butter Praline – but my favorite was the nicely balanced Bourbon-Burnt Sugar, with both Maker’s Mark and bourbon vanilla, for good measure.

Fox & Swan, another very adult icecream - Thai-curry-coconut was my favorite

Brand new brand Fox & Swan has also churned up some bold and unusual flavors – but blended them beautifully. I just kept asking to try more of them because each was delish. The Thai Curry Coconut really won my heart, though. They got it just right, with a play of sweet, spicy, lush and exotic. The company is so new, they don’t even have much info on their website – but believe me, you’ll be hearing more from them!

Mushroom Alchemy, from Wine Forest Fine Foods

Another little hit of umami, this time from the Wine Forest folks, foragers extraordinaire and authors of “The Wild Table” (foreword by – ahem – Thomas Keller). They had lots of goodies at the show, including their Wild Elderberry Shrub, another winner. But really, don’t you just love the name, “Mushroom Alchemy?!”

Marinated Sheep & Goat Cheese

As my palate started to lag, I asked one of the cheese importers what he had that was a “don’t miss.” He heaped some of this marinated sheep and goat cheese on a cracker – and wow! Sure, it doesn’t look too good in my photo, but trust me, it was delicious. Nice olive oil and the cheese was a perfect, light texture to mingle with it – not hard like most marinated cheeses. Made by Meredith Farms and imported from…Australia!

Ready-made drinking chocolate, from City Bakery

My pal, the wonderful photographer Maynard Switzer, introduced me to the City Bakery in New York. They serve wicked hot chocolate and even wickeder house-made pastries. I was excited to see they’ve bottled up the chocolate magic in a ready-to-drink format. Equally good hot or cold – if you’re willing to risk addiction. (Good god! Just looked at their website and the mothership is having a Hot Chocolate Festival this month, with a different flavor every day!)

Superlative spreads, from The French Farm

If there’s one thing the Fancy Food Show has too much of, it’s jams, jellies and preserves. But these intense and different products from the French Farm made me a believer: confits of violet, lavender or rose petals; banana flambe; coconut and passion fruit; plus many more I couldn’t squeeze into the photo. The company imports a great number of products, including Fallot mustards.

Fresh Iberico Pork

You may know jamón ibérico de bellota, the Spanish ham made from special pigs that forage for acorns. If you don’t, trust me – you want to. Fresh ibérico pork, branded as Ibérico Fresco is also imported to the U.S. now, where it’s mostly snapped up by restaurants and Japanese grocery stores. I particularly like the neck cuts, which were infused with the flavorful ibérico fat.

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