Hi everyone! Was chit chatting with a friend this morning about food (of course) ! and we were discussing some good restaurants that she ate at recently.
Anyone have any secret places they might want to share in the regions where they live? Would love to hear your suggestions and locations.
Have a good Monday,
Mary (Brighton)
Hi Mary
We have a house in the Auvergne and find great restaurants in Vichy especialially L'escargot qui tete. Also round Roanne the Chefs trained by the Troisgros (who have their own excellent and expensive restaurants such as Le Central and Les Collines) set up great places e.g. Le Prieurie in Ambierle. Hope that helps
best wishes
Sally
The new and exciting restaurant La Table des Trois Chevaliers, in the superbe medieval setting of Lauzerte (one of the most beautiful villages in France) has the honor to invite you to reserve a table for their first Curry Night, taking place on Friday the 19th of October and Saturday the 20th of October.
La Table des Trois Chevaliers
05 63 95 32 69
Place des Cornières, 82110, Lauzerte
Cant answer Shirley re: the Paris restaurant...but.....agree re: Holland and Belgium and of course, the UK, Kent particularly for large juicy mussels! My comments about the measly sized moule...particularly referred to the restaurants locally in St Cyp....we used to say only buy when there is an R in the month...but maybe we have been spoiled by buying green lipped New Zealand mussels.....fantastic cooked with garlic and parsley butter and grilled open....difficult to get in the Languedoc...common in Provence...and the Cote d'Azure.
HI Shirley,
Yes The Zingapub fayre is fresh and tastey. I do know the Agde Riverside restos and the one to which you refer.... along a few doors is Bebéres ( can't remember the name off hand ) brilliant atmosphere. The old man is no longer with us sadly but his Son runs it now..same format and menu for 45 years. Three trestle tables, the resto looks out onto the Herault. In peak Summer you may get a crowd of Germans then a table of Dutch then a table of French or Brits....must be 8 courses, Moules, Paté de la Tête ( gulp ) Soupe de poissons...Beouf, fromage, Glace, Gallons of cheap red wine. The atmosphere is electric everyone singing ( in opposition ) such a hoot....all in price used to be 9.90 probs twice that now?
One year I remember there was a street festival outside... cacophonous! the 'Latin' drum band lead by a Majorette breezed past...the girl looked in, Bebére nodded 'come' in, the whole band came into the place and carried on thrashing for some 20 minutes...It was amazing....don't happen back home!
You going to the Roujon Xmas Market this year? Gis a mail next time your over caption@hotmail.fr
Finding a good Indiebum in France is like looking for the Graily Hole. This certainly seems the case in 34 where we are.... there is a good one, the Rajasthan in Le Cap D'Agde, Sista Resto to its namesake in Montpellier, superb Tandoori and they will tailor a meal to suit your palate... but well expensive!
For a more realistic and scrummy alternative the Maharadja in AGDE is excellent. See Blog
Maharadja have moved 50 metres up the road, where we enjoyed the super lunch as depicted below
Yes I do take a photo of virtually everything I eat... Sad? no..I have appointed myself as THE Michael Winner of the region....secretly doing the rounds of the Restos under the guise of The Secret Blogger...and stuffing my face. ( errp! squeze me )
Le Zingapub au Place du Môle Cap D'Agde is a venue for all Seasons...which boasts an eclectic clientele, from the early morning pool of French Seamen...gathered there to drink their Vin Rosé and exchange tidbits, to the Touristo-o-trawler, oft found in season looking for the best Plat du Jour... after a day's crunkling on the beach.
'Fact Summer or Winter you cannot go wrong here, the simple fare prepared by Lionel is fresh and tasty and always beautifully presented, delivered to your table by lovely Isabelle ( mon petit chou-fleur )... great pub/resto good atmosphere/ music.. Just Googlum..and if you pop in, be sure to mention Ronnie Birks to hosts Denis and Coco...you will be guaranteed to pay le 'prix touristique'!
The Canal du Midi basin at Homps is a magical setting Shirley. There are 4 restaurants, 2 on either side of the canal bank with a an old road bridge and a pedestrian bridge crossing at this point. There is a craft market on a Friday, I think, in the Summer as well. Oh and Lac Jouarres is just around the corner on the Pepieux back road!
Hasn't James H. not set up town groups and regional groups already? Surely a thread could be added in there for such things...
Great idea Ken...and agreed...will be difficult to find the restaurants of choice in a particular area this way...
I can recommend the L'Auberge in Lagnes, Vaucluse. Good value delicious food in a nice village and the staff are always friendly.
I can recommend "L'Auberge du Breca" which is in the Brière region and the village of Breca. Very quaint with an open fire and excellent food not to mention a superb patronne. Menus start from 29€ for 3 cpurses.
In Lourdes, there is a restaurant called "Le Magret" who not only do excellent food but also have the Meilleur Sommelier de France working there. Reservations are a must as it's always busy.
I haven't been there for a while but there is also Le Relais de Saux between Lourdes and Tarbes. They also do rooms (at a reasonable rate) and are perfect for a weekend getaway.
Hi Mary and other bon viveurs. There is an excellent web site called Trip Advisor where you can review any restaurant, hotel, attraction that you've visited. It covers the whole world , is easy to use, and is superb for finding other people's recommendations. Especially useful for when you're planning a holiday somewhere you haven't been before. There's another web site called Virtual Tourist but its not quite as good.
Yet again a wonderful thread.
I wonder if it would be possible to create permanent lists by Department/Region if you think it would make navigating easier for SF members?
Agree with both Phil and Miv....these certainly mirror my foodie experience here, the good restaurants certainly exist...its just not a given any longer that you will automatically get a good meal.
There is a subject close to my reflux system!! My partner is a Norfolk Fishmonger and purveyor of excellent seafood. He smokes his own salmon for the shop in Burnham Market and makes all kinds of wonderful pates and things. So we know a good mussle when we find it. Fleshy, fat and very juicy......So right you be about those horrid little hairy beasties that lurk inside the cracked and open shells in places like Sete.
Never again. On the last occasion I spent an hour laughing as Mike was bent over the great white telephone talking to God...only to be in the same position myself some thirty minutes after him. Needless to say his satisfaction at my predicament was only second to the happiness he finds in the taste of his own locally gathered mussels from Brancaster.
Its as I thought...totally depends on where you live. I think from our experience food much better in the Perigeuex area north of where we are...and of course...eastwards towards Lyon...
We have given up eating moules in the Languedoc for instance...mostly small and pointless to eat them...whereas in the north they have been fantastic.
Carol, I too remember those pitstops. While the rest of the British channel hoppers were complaining about the lack of chip butties south of Dover, I was racing my way down the Autoroute gagging for a Routiers restaurant. Oh how times have changed now though. It seems good old Blighty washed it's face in the gastro world and came up sparkling with tastes from around the world available at every village Pub.. Meanwhile poor old France has been left in the stocks and, in true French arrogance, refuses to believe it may have some catching up to do.
I do have one gastronomic secret up my sleeve though. Now when I drive from South to North I regularly stop over at Le Moulin de Charmes in Molineuf near Blois. There the evening meal and breakfast is exquisite, made only more enchanting by Noel's excellent tast in wine. For me this is not unlike staying at Hotel du Cap in Antibbes. Just a smaller version but just as beautiful.
Alas! Here in the South Moroccan food is the best we can find unless one is prepared to take out a mortgage.
Sounds like we need to nip over the Montaigne Noire to your side of the mountains Sarah. I've been to Mazamet but not any further north.
Gosh I am lucky
I live in rural Tarn and in addition to the two eateries I recommend below there are loads of other good bistros and restaurants in my area. I could add La Renaissance at Lac St Fereol (81) or La Pomarede at La Pomarede (81) for posh nosh but you can get a more than decent meal in most places
Plus they invariably use locally sourced, seasonal foods - cepes and girolles galore at the moment now that we have had a good blend of sun and rain. And I am hoping Jean Luc from L'Estaminet in Arfons (81) is going to spit roast sanglier over the fire again this winter
Our local market at Revel (31) has interesting food on offer - latest addition is an Indian/Tibetan couple who cook up traditional dishes in front of you..........10€ feeds a family of four and it is always delish
Trust me, head Castres way and you will eat very well!