Le Tres Bon

In a cosy heritage cottage a half-hour drive from Canberra, Christophe Gregoire shares favourite recipes from France, particularly from his native Alsace. A pinot noir from Burgundy is a good match with traditional starters such as chicken terrine delicately flavoured with shavings of truffle, and snails cooked in butter, shallots, parsley, garlic and pastis. The menu is neither extensive nor pretentious but includes classic French dishes, rich in flavour and cooked with care. Gregoire uses organic local produce wherever possible, sometimes from his own garden. Mains include fillet of beef with truffled butter, and confit of duck in an orange sauce, suitably tart but not overshadowing the meat. A fine selection of French cheeses precedes iles flottantes - fluffy meringue clouds in creme anglaise. It's a sweet ending to a meal which is everything it promises to be, tempting you to sign on for the food and wine tours Chef conducts to France each year.