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I love Honfleur, and we often end our trips to France with a night there. This year I chose to delay my birthday dinner so that we could eat at Sa Qua Na, a stunning restaurant that lived up to billing. Recently awarded its second Michelin star, this was true fine dining, but not stuffy or intimidating. The fact that we had MGG with us should tell you that.

There are only two versions of the tasting menus, you choose the colour and everyone at the table gets the same. Unless you’re 8, in which case you can have the Violet Prune surprise menu.

What to choose?

We had the rouge cerise menu, not because we were being tight, but because we thought at the end of two weeks in France we may not make it through all the courses. Particularly as there are a few not mentioned on here. Starting with the amuse bouches:

The amuse bouches

On here were some truffled choux with sardine and radish, some delicious deep fryed seeded wafers (sorry, they got a little lost in translation) and the savoury meringue sticks. I found these fascinating and delicious, not to mention intriguing in how they were made. A mix of salt and black pepper, with just a very faint hint of sugar, which I guess is what holds the meringue together.

The next surprise: a rather flat Yorkshire pudding.

A tasty but rather odd Yorkshire pudding type thing

It was not very well risen, but perhaps not intended to be. It was truffled and with chives, with a slightly caramelised top. I loved this, Dr T wasn’t keen. Possibly my Northern roots.

So, the first of the billed dishes, the salmon. I loved this dish, it was so fresh and summery, with the most amazing combinations of flavours. The salmon was cooked mi-cuit, and then the lemon confit just cut through the fish. Combined with the pea coulis, it was a dish I could have eaten again and again. Not to mention it was incredibly pretty to look at.

Steamed fillet of salmon

The next dish I could appreciate because it was beautiful to look at, and had a succession of textures to play with. Dr T loved it, but it was my least favourite dish. And that all came down to the seasoning. Dr T’s had a big hitting salty taste, which I think it should have done, whereas mine was particularly insipid until the last part of it. The cod was a little too soft and flaky for me, but the beef looked amazing, like little jewels, and melted in the mouth.

Cod cooked with salt

I am not a lover of game, but the next course was sublime, particularly as the flavour combinations were unusual, but worked so well together. Roasted pigeon with peanuts and a Tarragon sauce, unlikely to all but the most talented chefs I guess. I loved it!

Pigeon & peanuts

 I almost forgot that this was then followed by a salad dressed with pigeon jus, some crispy bacon and a rather generous number of shavings of black truffle. I have never enjoyed a salad more.

I’m afraid there are no photos of the cheese or dessert. The cheese selection sent Dr T into raptures as it was a stunning board, with great variety from very local to more famous choices like Roquefort. Even MGG managed a sliver or two. Dessert was a passion fruit tart, but distinctly unmemorable. Perhaps we were just overwhelmed by that point. But not too overwhelmed to adore the petit fours.

Stylish petit fours

Hidden in here were a rhubarb jelly with a hint of aniseed, coffee icecream with amaretti biscuits, and a coffee cake with a prune and armagnac cream. Truly delicious way to end the meal.

And what a meal. I thought the staff were incredibly charming, and service was efficient but unobtrusive. They were lovely with MGG, and her menu was a tomato salad, roasted chicken with pasta and then strawberries with creme fraiche. Not a chicken nugget in sight.

The wine waiter was knowledgeable and generous in sharing his knowledge. We ended up with a white wine from the Basque region, from Arretxea, which was rich, creamy and rather New World like to me. Overall the bill came to just over 200 euros for the three of us. Of course you can eat for less in Honfleur, you can eat really well, but I rather doubt you can any better.

I think I may move my birthday to be with them every year. I was also grateful for our hotel being a close stumble nearby, with a comfortable night at Hotel du Dauphin just round the corner. Fabulous, fabulous night, I’d go again tomorrow. Except they are only open Thursday through Saturday.

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