Issue link: https://digital.copcomm.com/i/57654
ON-PREMISE PATTER Country French PROVENCE NATIVE ROBERT BARRAL ADDS A TOUCH OF THE SOUTH (OF FRANCE) TO VERMONT by Dick Rosano / photos by Brent Harrewyn D Chef Robert Barral of Café Provence in Brandon, Vermont. rop a wine-savvy expert into a new restaurant, introduce her to the cuisine and the tempera- ment of the chef, and tell her to design a wine list that complements the diners' experience. No small challenge, but one faced every time a new restaurant opens its doors. Café Provence, a splendid gem of fine cuisine in the rolling hills of pastoral Brandon, Vermont, wel- comes guests who are often surprised to discover a true French restaurant in such a rural setting. Chef/owner Robert Barral and his wife, Line, have expanded the dining room, added a cooking school and wine academy, and lately added a wine bar to attract even more attention to this tiny town—while still owning and managing the French bakery down the street! Barral, a native of Provence, trained in France and Switzerland then honed his skills as an executive chef in the Four Seasons hotel chain before opening Café Provence in 2004. He and Line moved the restaurant to a new space in 2011, with more room to attract eager culinary students from surrounding states. Chef Barral serves a superb dish of seared asparagus-speared scallops with saffron risotto. The velvety finish and savory flavors of the risotto pair magically with the piquant flavor of the scal- lops. With a medley of shellfish, risotto, asparagus and tomatoes blended in one dish, wine pairing becomes an adventure. 64 / the tasting panel / march 2012