Tucked away from the hustle and bustle of the high street, a sanctuary of delicious dishes can be found at Gourmandine.
Established in 2009 by former Exeter football player, Bertrand Cozic, some of you may remember Gourmandine as a simple crêperie – with a vast variety of flavours, both sweet and savoury. Who wouldn’t be tempted by a Nutella parcel of deliciousness?
Now approaching its fourth Christmas, Gourmandine has since expanded to become a crêperie-bistrot boasting a menu jam-packed with exciting, diverse dishes and an unmistakeable French flavour. The more scholarly of you may have noticed the unusual addition of a “t” on the end of “bistro” – this is no spelling error, it indicates the Breton influence on the food, inspired by Bertrand’s heritage. With its very own French chef and authentic Breton ingredients, Gourmandine really is a little slice of France here in Exeter.
Sit yourself down in the cosy cafe, or outside (true French style) if it’s sunny, and enjoy the relaxed ambience, friendly, competent staff and quality food. Gourmandine attracts a varied clientele with international visitors in the summer, businessman popping in for a light lunch and parents treating their long-starved student children.
Gourmandine doesn’t just stop at delectable food; it also offers master classes for those wanting to get a bit more hands-on. Exeter’s own French Soc recently indulged in a mouth-watering chocolate master class. Run by Le Frog catering, students were treated to a brief history of chocolate making, followed by an all-important tasting session and finally the chance to get stuck in and make their own truffles. What could be better? We hope HCX will be able to try our hand at a master class their- with all details able to be catered to each individual group.
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Her Campus Exeter recently visited the bistrot, where we tried several dishes from the menu that left us realising that there is more to Gourmandine than a simple (yet delicious) pancake. Upon arrival we were warmly greeted by staff and took our seats in the relaxed setting. We were then presented with three separate menus, including drinks, dessert, and a selection of main dishes.
We began with an appetizer of olives marinees, saucisson sec and a basket of French bread with oil and balsamic vinegar. The Mediterranean style starter was made with high quality ingredients and immediately made us realise that there was far more to Gourmandine than we had originally anticipated.
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We were then presented with several main courses; a selection of the bistrot’s most popular and delicious dishes. We tried three of the most popular savoury crepes, including La Napoleon, with chicken, emmental cheese and sundried tomatoes; La Norvegienne, smoked salmon with cream chives and dill with a squeeze of lemon and La Trois Fromages, a delicious trio of cheeses including emmental, mozzarella and goats cheese. Each were rich in flavour and a delicious and lighter alternative to a simple sandwich for lunch. We then tasted one of Gourmandine’s most popular dishes the Croque- Monsieur, essentially a very tasty ham and cheese toastie which beats any you will have tried before. Served with emmental and béchamel cheese, it is the perfect warming lunch for a cold winter day.
But our favourite of the dishes was Gourmandine’s signature Boeuf Bourguignon. Served in miniature individual dishes, we felt immediately transported to a traditional French restaurant in a cosy rural village. The rich flavours are quite clearly made by expert chefs, and despite being very full we simply couldn’t leave it unfinished. Certainly the dish to go for if you are to move away from Gourmandine as a simple creperie.
Whilst their sweet and savoury pancakes are delicious, and will not disappoint, we were excited to discover the real breadth of the menu and that there are many dishes which mean you can visit for a full meal; three courses are more are certainly possible with so many options to choose from! HCX couldn’t recommend Gourmandine and their staff highly enough, with warm service, good value and authentic French dishes, we must urge you all to book a table or just pop by, and try one of their signature dishes which will make you go back to the bistrot again and again.
Picture Credits: gourmandinecreperiebistrot.co.uk, authors own