Chez Odette, a winegrower's restaurant that's all good!

At Saint-Nicolas-de-Bourgueil, almost in the shadow of its church, a charming house welcomes you at the entrance to the Domaine Frédéric Mabileau. It houses the restaurant run by Charly, the son of the late winegrower, while his brother Rémy manages the winegrowing part of the estate. Together with his partner Juliette, Charly serves up a delightful cuisine using seasonal, local and often organic produce.

The history of the site

More winegrower than that, not possible! “Chez Odette” is located rue… du pressoir. It takes its name from Charly’s grandmother, who used to prepare delicious dishes in this house during the grape harvest. Frédéric Mabileau and his wife Nathalie have paid tribute to Odette by opening the restaurant, which was initially run by 2 women who then left for Saumur. When they left 2 years ago, Charly Mabileau decided to abandon everything he had started in Bordeaux with Juliette: first a catering business, then a restaurant (the opening of which had been delayed by a few months because of Covid). It was a brave move for Juliette, a Parisian, to return to her roots and set up in the countryside… But a great opportunity for the west of Touraine!

Reserve a table

Domaine Frédéric Mabileau, lauréat du Prix de la Dynamique Agricole (37)

Charly, the Chef!

The eldest of his siblings, Charly was destined to take over the winegrowing estate, after 6 years studying viticulture and oenology. But in the end he didn’t feel cut out for it. So he changed course, taking a year off in the USA… and getting a job in a gourmet restaurant in North Carolina. It was a revelation! On his return to France, Charly resumed his cookery studies at the renowned Ferrandi school in Paris, where he met Juliette, a student studying restaurant management. The rest of the story is familiar to you.

At Odette, the couple are constantly reinventing their cuisine, with a menu that changes every fortnight according to seasonal produce and inspiration. Juliette throws down challenges to her husband, which he takes up with great talent. The result is a cuisine that’s inventive, tasty and straightforward. Good produce for great dishes. I loved it!

A sample Chez Odette menu!

To get your mouths watering, here are the suggestions for this early March 2025:

Entrées

Pig’s breast, egg yolk confit, red wine sauce and roast onion (between the lines, it should read œuf meurette revisited!)
Nantes prawns raw, crème fraîche, chilli oil with prawn head and Raw squash
Cornlini, red bean cream, oyster mushroom, BBQ sauce, fresh herbs and pickles

Mains

Braised beef shank, raw and cooked beetroot and reduced jus
Squash gnocchi, Fourme d’Ambert cream, roasted squash, pickled pear and walnut/rosemary crumble
Barded monkfish tail with Colonata bacon, green curry cream, roasted mushroom and cabbage

Cheeses & Desserts

Assiette de fromage affiné, confit de fruit
Oven roasted Saint Marcelin and condiments
Chocolate and fleur de sel sablé, chocolate ganache, coriander seed praline and hazelnut ice cream
Baba with gin and citrus fruits, mandarin/ginger sorbet

Everything was excellent from start to finish, as were the amuses bouche served with Spritz “Odette style”…. !

In a nutshell on Chez Odette in Saint-Nicolas-de-Bourgueil

Creative local cuisine

A seasonal menu changed every fortnight, with organic produce and lively dishes.

Food and wine pairing in the spotlight

Domaine Frédéric Mabileau wines served by the glass, with tasting before approval.

Warm welcome, low prices

Friendly atmosphere, attentive service and excellent value for money.

Wines, service, prices...

The appeal of a restaurant backed by a wine estate is that you can taste its wines with a wine and food pairing proposal at a very reasonable price. It’s all the better because while the Domaine Frédéric Mabileau has its birthplace in Saint-Nicolas-de-Bourgueil (an AOC exclusively in red, cabernet franc), it has vines in Bourgueil, but also in Anjou, with very pleasant whites.

As for the setting and service, the proposition is pleasant, without fuss. You feel good, whether you’re in the dining room or on the terrace, between the restaurant, the garden and the cellar; the family spirit instilled by Odette is very much present. And frankly, when you lunch or dine here, you get what you pay for! The prices are reasonable in relation to the level of quality of the cuisine: €10 to €12 for starters, around €20 for main courses, around €10 again for desserts. 3 glasses of wine at €17; for each wine served by the glass, the customer is offered the chance to taste it before confirming the proposed choice. It’s a thoughtful touch that really sums up the quality of the service!

To top it all off, take the time to chat to the restaurant staff: they’re extremely pleasant. As for me, all I want to do is go back soon to taste and buy some Saint-Nicolas-de-Bourgueil at Domaine Mabileau, then sit down at Odette’s for a new culinary adventure!