Chez Sylla

I heard about Chez Sylla from the couple that owned the Marston House, who told me of the wine cave just down the road from Apt, where you could eat salad, a cheese plate, plus dessert, wine and coffee for just 12€. A lot of the restaurant food in Apt is overpriced and overrated, you can much better source local ingredients and eat à la maison but with a week to go, Becca and I fancied a long lazy celebratory lunch and we decided to head down the road and see if the legend was true. 

Though neither Becca and I like cheese- a major social faux pas in France- we ordered the 'petit plat' which included salad, a selection of cheese, and choice of three wines to taste, before desert and coffee. The first wine, along with a carafe of water arrived first. Neither Becca or I know a thing about wine but we chose quite a fruity white wine to start, of which we were both given a generous glass, and sipped it slowly while waiting for our starters. When I saw two plates piled high with salad, bread and cheese heading towards us I was sure it couldn't be the 'petit plat' but sure enough, they were deposited on our table with a cheery 'bon appetit!' 

We both decided to try the cheeses- we could hardly leave them untouched- and found, unfortunately, neither of us had grown to like cheese. They were left on the edge of the plate. I think they were particularly strong cheeses, they were obviously good quality and well matured but not for a pair of amateur cheese tasters! The salads were delicious, drenched in the obligatory Provençal slug of olive oil and with juicy sun dried tomatoes, chutney and three slices of bread; sourdough, sun dried tomato, and black olive bread to mop up any leftovers. Half way through the dinner our glasses were whisked away, and replaced with our second wine of choice- a rosé for Becca and another glass of white for me. We ate slowly, trying to eat enough of the awful cheese to look polite, and also mimicking the very leisurely French style of eating. In England you could easily eat two courses over lunch and be done in half an hour (with service as quick as ours) yet Becca and I made the meal last two and a half hours. Also, we are not quite as adept as the French at knocking back the wine, and our second glass lasted until she had given us our choice of deserts.

the most offensive cheese- I admit I couldn't even bring myself to try this one

We both picked chocolate fondant, which was deliciously rich and creamy*, and went down very well. However we were beginning to wonder what would happen with the third glass of wine. Both of us rather thought it would be a social error to ask for our third wine after desert, though we had both wanted to try a red. However nobody came to ask us about it and two coffees were brought to follow the desserts, which were delicious and the perfect end to a very very good lunch. We rolled out at three- after parting with 12€- hardly anything for such a delicious lunch. Despite the wine blip- perhaps we just can't keep up with the French- and truth be told neither of us really needed another, it was a truly delicious meal and I would recommend Chez Sylla to anyone. I can't wait to take my next Apt visitor there- preferably someone who likes cheese! 

sunny walk home

*though it doesn't quite live up to the Turkish/ Cumbrian one Heather!