French restaurants
Ian Sommerville
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We like to take our holidays in France and these notes are primarily to remind me what we liked and disliked. See my list of Edinburgh restaurants and restaurants elsewhere for other reviews.
Paris (July 2004)
We didn't find what everyone would like to find in Paris - an excellent, cheap restaurant. I doubt if they exist so bank on paying at least 25€ for dinner in a restaurant. Lunch is cheaper.
Le Basilic (Montmartre, Rue Lesic, 01 46 06 78 43, Recommended)
We ate here twice - not our normal practice but it was very close to our hotel and the weather was cold and wet so we couldn't face a longer trip. Classical French bistro - on our first visit I had herring in oil with potatoes followed by excellent steak and chips. On the 2nd visit, I had smoked salmon and avocado rolls followed by excellent roast chicken with mashed potato. Puddings were hot marmalade with sponge (it works - but English rather than French) then a selection of sorbets. Lovely atmosphere. The menu is 25€ but with wine and coffee, about 35€ each.
Bistro aux Deux Theatres (Trinite, Rue Blanche, 01 45 26 41 43, Recommended)
In the same group as Bistro Melrose so an all inclusive menu. Snails to start followed by nicely cooked duck breast (magret de canard). The pudding was almond cream with strawberries. Good atmosphere but I prefer Bistro Melrose. 31€ each.
Bistro Melrose (Place de Clichy, Recommended)
I first visited this restaurant in 1995 when I was involved in the REAIMS project (all about requirements engineering for dependable systems). Its selling point is an all inclusive menu - aperitif, 3 courses, wine and coffee and this hadn't changed (although the price had gone up). I started with crab ravioli followed by red mullet and ratatoille and then apple tart with Calvados. Loire wines (white and red). Fast service, respectable food and good value. 31€ each.
Au Pied de Cochon (Les Halles, Rue Coquillere, 01 40 13 77 00, Recommended)
This is a well-known Paris restaurant where I tried their classics - French onion soup and grilled pigs trotters (a new experience). The soup was fabulous - rich and cheesy but the pig's trotters were revolting - mostly bone and fat. The restaurant has an award for its pig's trotters so I suspect this is the nature of the dish - I'm sure the restaurant did a good job. Excellent apple sorbet with Calvados. Busy, good atmosphere but not cheap - about 45€ each with reasonable wine and coffees.
La Terrase (Montmartre, Rue Joseph le Maitre, 01 46 06 72 85, OK)
We stayed in this hotel - it's pretty good for Paris and you can get reasonable deals with Internet booking. The rooftop restaurant has a fabulous view over Paris so we decided to eat in the hotel one day when the weather improved. The meal was absolutely fine - Pissaladiere (an onion and tomato tart with goat's cheese) followed by sea bass en papillote and strawberries in cream with biscuits. However my daughter had a piece of plastic in her salad and although they gave us free coffees in recompense, this is not the kind of thing you expect in a restaurant of this quality. About 45€ each.
Provence
Avignon (September 2002)
Restaurant des Arts (OK)
A typical situation - arrive late in a strange city with no idea of where's good to eat. So you inevitably end up in the touristy places. We ate in the bustling square in an outdoor restaurant and it was OK. Typical ordinary french restaurant - steak frites a standard wth a good bustling atmosphere. I had fish soup to start which was nothing great then steak frites which was better. Not one to recommend but no need to avoid it either. About 18 euros each (but I expect prices have risen since then).
Gordes (June 2004)
Le Comptoir des Arts (04 90 72 01 31, Not recommended)
The restaurant we hoped to eat in was full so we went to this attractive looking place by the church. The food, however, was less attractive - goats cheese in pastry to start which was OK but the accompanying salad was very tired looking. My main course (scallops) was a very small portion and they were a bit tasteless. My daughters' steaks were so over cooked that they had to be sent back. We shared a pudding but overall it worked out about 38€ each - far too expensive for a mediocre meal.
La Farigoule (04 90 76 92 76, Recommended)
This restaurant was about 50m from the house we rented in the Luberon so it was an obvious choice. Goat's cheese and smoked trout salad to start, a large and tasty shank of lamb as a main course and sorbet and strawberries as a pudding. About 25€ each plus wine. This was a tasty everyday meal - not outstanding but perfectly acceptable.
La Gacholle (Not recommended)
This place was recommended to us but we were very disappointed. It's in a beautiful setting and our table overlooked the view but the food was uninteresting and the portions were very small. The starter was lightly fried tomatoes and aubergines, my main course was brandade de morue (salted cod with mashed potatoes and no accompaniments). Pudding was coconut panna cotta. 30€ each plus wine (in total about 40€ each) and we left hungry. It was rather dull home cooking in a restaurant setting - avoid.
Mas Tourteron (Highly recommended)
On my daughter's birthday we went to this special occasion restaurant -we ate in perfect weather in a beautiful garden. A very short, fixed price menu (39€) where I had small clams with garlic as the first starter followed by delicious artichoke and squid risotto. Then fish stew - 3 different fishes in a rich and creamy soup. Finally, the puddings were chosen from a buffet and I had raspberry tart, clafoutis of cherries, almont/apricot tart and figs in cream (small portions not many visits). The food and atmosphere was superb - we'd definitely go back if we revisit this region. Not cheap - with aperitifs and wine we were about 60€ each but I doubt if you would not get a comparable meal for this price in the UK.
Isle de la Sorgue (June 2004)
Cafe de la Sorgue (04 90 20 80 27, Fine for lunch)
Isle de la Sorgue has a huge Sunday market with all manner of goodies for sale. Its incredibly busy and we were very lucky to get a shady seat in this cafe by the river. Good ambience but iffy music from the adjoining market stall. Omelette and excellent chips (french fries) for about 8€.
Menerbes (June 2004)
Restaurant Clementine (04 90 72 45 10, Good for lunch)
We stopped for lunch in this attractive village where I had a single course of boeuf en daube (a Provencal classic) with pasta. A beautiful terrace overlooking the valley. Simple, good French food - 9€ for the food plus a beer.
Languedoc (September 2002 and September 2003)
Hotel Vidal (04.68.87.00.85, Highly recommended)
An old-fashioned dining room serving old fashioned, classic French food. Starter was a large bowl of chicken and ham soup, followed by duck with orange sauce, fried potatoes and onions. Pudding was Tarte tatin. Excellent food, friendly staff. About 23€ + wine.
Hotel les Feuillants (04 68 87 37 88, Recommended)
This is reputedly the best restaurant in Ceret - the food was fine but, on balance, I preferred Hotel Vidal. I had Goats cheese salad, salmon with girolles and an excellent peach crumble. We were there midweek in September so it was a bit quiet. About 35€ each including a reasonable bottle of local wine and aperitifs.
Cruzy
Auberge de la Croisade (04 67 89 36 36, Recommended)
On the banks of the Canal du Midi, this Restaurante Gourmande was the most expensive place that we ate - about 130 euros for 4 including wine. I started with an amuse-bouche - tiny, perfectly cooked fish fillets, followed by a lamb and goat's cheese tart, steak then a selection of patisserie. All were excellent but the lamb and goat's cheese tart was outstanding. Busy, bustling atmosphere.
Restaurant Le Terminus(04 67 89 35 62, Recommended)
Following a recommendation, we drove into what seemed to be the depths of the countryside to find this restaurant which was actually the terminus of a long closed railway line. We ate here twice - the first time I had superb camambert fondue - melted camembert with tomatoes followed by fillets of red mullet with olives. The second time, smoked salmon salad (ok but not nearly as good as the camembert) followed by lamb fillet. Excellent food, good atmosphere, about 20 euros each. A bargain for the quality of the food.
Auberge La Passiflore (Not recommended)
We tried to get a table here on spec but it was full so we booked 2 days later with high expectations. We were disappointed. Lacking in atmosphere (harsh lighting, cheap tablecloths, cheesy muzac) with food that focused more on presentation rather than taste. I started with scallops but their delicate flavour was overwhelmed by a curry sauce. Then king prawn kebabs - OK but only 4 large prawns so not good if you're hungry. Then, at the height of the season for fresh figs I ordered a fig dessert and found it made with dried figs. About 24 euros each which, compared to other places was not a good deal.
I have heard (July 2004) that this restaurant has now closed - I am not surprised.
Relais Chantovent (04 68 91 14 18, Highly recommended)
Minerve is a beautiful village in the Minervois and we came upon this restaurant by accident. I started with goat's cheese salad but it wasn't the usual assembly of green leaves and grilled cheese. Rather it was several small cheeses with a very unusual mixed salad. Then perfectly prepared and cooked lamb fillet in a pastry case with a selection of vegetables. Finally, parfait glace - white chocolate and cherry ice cream. Lovely surroundings and an excellent meal for 21 Euros including a bottle of local rose wine. Go there if you're in the area!
Le Somail
L'O de la Bouche (04 68 46 30 57, Recommended for atmosphere, simple food)
We rented a house 5 minutes walk from this restaurant so we ate here 3 times. On the banks of the Canal du Midi it was a busy, bustling place with no pretentions to haute cuisine but with simple local food. We ate excellent salads, cassoulet (a local dish - beans, duck, sausage) its tasty but rather too fatty for my taste.I also had an excellent cocktail de crevettes (prawn cocktail) and meltingly tender squid with fries. Very reasonably priced - less than 15 euros each. Not worth a detour but fine if you want simple, unpretentious food.