They have a tradition in Alsace that dates back at least 500 years. Make bread once a week and test the oven with a very thin strip of dough. But they wouldn't waste a bit of bread, so they add a few shavings of bacon, onion and fromage blanc. Voila. When I say thin bread I mean really really thin, even thinner than the thinnest pizza you've ever had. The meal is called flammekuche, and until recent times you would not expect to see it on a menu. You certainly wouldn't expect to see a restaurant that specialises in flammekuche.

Kaysersberg has made something special of this old favourite.

To find the town you need to head to the north-east of France and wander the wine trail south of Strasbourg. The mountains here face south-east and give France the perfect growing conditions for their grapes, while on the German-facing side of the mountains you're better picking forest fruits than growing vines.

The region is picturesque and the towns between the vines are a blend of Germanic and French styles dating back 500 years. They are outrageously charming. The wines of the region lean heavily on the side of white and sweet, with seven grape varieties maturing every autumn and only one of them red. Gerwurtztraminer, Riesling and Tokay Pinot Gris are the top three on the list.

Flamme & Co is a contemporary dining experience hidden away behind a classic Alsatian facade. The entire street looks like a scene from Hansel and Gretel but once you enter the Flamme & Co restaurant you step into modern French cuisine in every possible way. Black and neon dominate the décor, and flammekuche dominate the menu. Even the bathrooms have disco music and a mirror ball to add a little fun.

If you're in the mood for hearty French dining then try one of the local “winstubs” where beer and wine are served by the litre. Flamme & Co is uniquely Alsatian with a truly contemporary twist. They even do a degustation with five kinds of mini flammekuche for just 25 Euro.

The flammekuche feast starts with the original, bacon with onions, then gets fresh with a seven leaf salad. From here on our chef pushes the boundary of French cuisine. The third course is salmon with dried grapes, green and white onions and a sunflower toffee crumbled across the dish in subtle proportions. Texture is diverse and the flavours balanced. That's how you know it really is French cooking.

The fourth course arrived with a startling marriage on the bread, foie-gras with a rhubarb reduction and balsamic vinegar. It's ballsy and rich but hard to clear your plate if you devoured all of the first courses. And you likely will. Foie-gras loses a little when put in the oven but this is what contemporary cuisine is all about – suck it and see. Foie-gras originated in the Alsace region so there's a nice nod to the local culture in every bite.

Having sucked up our engorged goose-fat the finale is sweet and tempting. Some of us found dessert to be something of an anticlimax, but for others it was the highlight. Sweet pineapple on a bed of creme fresh and drizzled with local Tokay.

Alsace has one of the prettiest wine routes in all of France and Kaysersberg is one the most charming of the towns. Flamme & Co is a unique option for dinner in town, combining some old traditions with new tricks.