BLOOM One chicken whose eggs really are golden Lorie and Annelore Parsons gather classical German and French cooking under one roof at long-standing Carmel eatery Coq d'Or, drawing a loyal clientele to dine among the cowbells. Spring 2008

Dan Shafer

Nestled away in its own little courtyard on Mission between 4th and 5th in Carmel is one of the most popular local favorite European cuisine establishments, one that offers a rare and enticing menu that combines the best of German and French cooking styles and traditions.

One of a handful of restaurants on the Peninsula owned and operated by women, Le Coq d'Or (German "Zum Goldenen Hahn", English, "The Golden Chicken") is a mainstay in the midst of one of the restaurant Meccas of the Monterey area. Lorie Parsons and her mother, Annelore, co-own and manage the restaurant, with Lorie handling the kitchen and Annelore acting as hostess and business manager.

Le Coq d'Or has been a fixture in Carmel for more than 60 years, during the last 16 of which Lorie and Annelore have been its co-proprietors. Both women have long family histories in the food business. Lorie grew up in Carmel with a mother who owned several restaurants. "I was often in the kitchen," she recalls with a chuckle, "standing on milk crates, helping the kitchen staff." By the time she'd reached the ripe old age of 11, she says, "I could already make a good Hollandaise sauce."

Today, Lorie's eight-year-old daughter Juliana is following in Mom's footsteps, often helping out in the kitchen at Le Coq d'Or.

Lorie's history with the restaurant goes back a good many years. "I remember coming here with my parents and their friends," she says wistfully. "There used to be wonderful murals on the wall depicting French pastoral scenes. I'll bet they're still under there somewhere."

Both of these women are in the restaurant business for one big reward. "It's important that people are happy, talking about the food and enjoying their experience," Lorie summarized. "We like people to want to keep coming back over and over to dine with us."

Cowbells Everywhere
As you walk into the warm and welcoming interior of Le Coq d'Or (which also features a cozy, dog-friendly patio just outside the front door), one of the first things you're bound to notice are the myriad cowbells hanging from the beam ceiling. These traditional German bells hang from the ceiling and around the tops of the walls of the restaurant and have become a signature emblem of the family's traditional European background.

"That one over there," Annelore says with some pride, "was just given to us by a good friend and customer. She brought it over from her trip to the Olympics in Lillehammer [in 1994]. She said she was cleaning out some things from her house when she ran across it recently and thought of us, so she brought it right over."

Some of the bells are so large you might envision a pretty good-sized bovine with its neck stuck through the noose that holds it up. And in fact, among the many keepsake photographs scattered throughout the restaurant, there is one of such a beast with members of her family taken many years ago in Germany.

Starting Over Annelore had been in the hospitality business her whole life and Lorie had spent all her working years in the business as well. Lorie, a native of the Peninsula born at the old Fort Ord Hospital and graduate of Carmel High School, went to Europe in 1981 where she spent four years studying culinary arts, beginning as an apprentice. When she returned to the area in 1985, she soon found herself involved in a motorcycle accident that put her out of work for about six months.

After she recovered, she spent some time as the assistant manager of a bed-and-breakfast where, she recalls, she was able to bake bread and make hors d'oeuvres. Annelore had been in the restaurant business in Carmel since 1960, holding key positions in several local establishments.

"We were both ready for a change," Lorie says. "Mom wanted to get away from the kitchen for a while and I was eager to try some of my own ideas." Le Coq d'Or had been in business more than 40 years but had recently been an Italian place called Capriccio's for a very brief period. That restaurant went out of business as a result of a family dispute and Lorie and Annelore had the opportunity to open what was the daughter's first restaurant of her own. They undertook a complete remodeling of the restaurant, decided to revert to its previous well-known name, and opened for business.

The German portion of the menu favors all-veal Schnitzels ranging from the traditional Wiener Schnitzel to the more exotic Schnitzel Holstein featuring a fried egg and anchovies. On the French side, easily the most popular dish is the Confit de Canard, whose citrus glaze has become legendary among Carmel gourmands.

On the dessert side of the menu, the French Tarte Tatin (traditional apple tart) and the deliciously different Marillen Knodel (apricot-filled dumpling) rank high on most regulars' lists of favorites.

The restaurant is open for dinner only, seven nights a week.