SW France advice?

[roverinexile]

We'll be travelling to a wedding near Albi next week. We're picking up a hire car in Bordeaux, have one night before the wedding, then have 3 nights before returning to Bordeaux. We don't want to break the bank, so Michel Guerard's place is probably out of the equation :( I find the Logis de France guide quite reliable on the most part, but would appreciate any personal suggestions for places to visit in the area. Last time I was over, I ate at the Auberge des Arbousiers (sp?) in Homps, sitting next to the Canal du Midi, and had a wonderful meal.

Thanks for any help.

[Bux]

Welcome to eGullet. I find the Logis de France reliable enough, but not necessarily offering the best food. Michel Bras is of course, a real destination, but as you are aware, a budget breaker. If Laguiole is not too far away however, one of my favorite places in France is much more affordable, and more than a bit closer to Albi. We've been very pleased with le Vieux Pont in the tiny village of Belcastel just west of Rodez as have others on eGullet. It's run by two sisters. Nicole Fagegaltier is in the front of the house and Michele is in the kitchen. These days, she's joined by her husband who is also a chef. The food has changed over the years we've known it, but it's always been on a high level. In the early years, it was very much influenced by Bras, but Michele travels in the off season and has broadened her influences.

Our first visit was back before they converted an old building across the stream into a hotel we stayed in a Logis de France in the neighboring town. Now they have several nice reasonably priced rooms. The year we first ate there, GaultMillau cited them as offering the best food value in all of France. I think they've done well by remaining a great value.

Our last visit was two years ago. Our room was under 70 euros. The gastronomic menu which included four savory courses, cheese and desserts was 62 euros and a bargain. There were several set menus begining in the low 20 euro range, but they were not nearly as interesting as the big menu. One can also eat a la carte, but less frugally than by taking an inexpensive menu and with less variety than by choosing the gastronomic menu.

A search on the restaurant or the town should bring a link to past posts on le Vieux Pont, but here are our meals from 2002.

62 euro menu with four savory courses served only to the entire table. All of the other menus have options. This one does not.

Sur une poêlé d'endives aux fruits secs, des noix de Saint-Jacques rissolées, semoule fine et bouillon de curry

This certainly worked. It was surprisingly complex but I was not surprised to be pleased right off the bat.

Dorade royale poêlée, haricots coco et pieds de veau, jus de truffes et pointes d'asperges

Beans and truffles are yet another of my comfort foods.  The veal foot--bits of very fatty, gelatinous and unctuous veal foot--offered more texture and richness than taste. An asparagus spear and a parallel brush stroke of truffle emulsion were like bookends on the plate. This was a more traditional preparation perhaps, but the veal food made it a bit interesting and challenging in addition to being satisfying

.

Du foie de canard grillé et un caramel d'orange au safran, des pommes pailles

The foie gras was seared as almost to have a coat of very fine dark kidskin. It would have been impressive unadorned, but this was one of the most supportive garnishes I've had for fresh warm foie gras. This was superb and vaut le voyage as Michelin would say. Normally I tend to stay with a red wine with hot foie  gras, but this would have been nice with a Muscat.

Poitrine de pigeon rissolée, jus au sésame grillé, tartelette des cèpes et brou de noix

The breast was incredibly rare and the leg was crisp with a crust of salt and spices. Esilda loved the sesame "juice" (crushed sesame seeds). I was a bit indifferent to it, but I polished off the breast and leg although I thought I was full when it arrived.

Fromages du Rouergue

This was not an exceptionally large selection of cheeses although certainly more than we could sample between us at this point and I was impressed that they were all local cheeses and excellent examples.

Dégustation de desserts

Sadly, we were not up to the array of desserts that followed, though for intellectual purposes we ascertained that they were up to par. I believe there were about six of them and rest assured that they were no more than half portions each.

We stayed here two nights.

For 23 euros Mrs. B had:

Fricassée d'artichauts et d'escargots aux fromage blanc et au thyme, huile relevée d'olive noirs et de câpres

The artichokes and snails were an earthy combination, but the melted cheese on top added little.

Rouget grondin poêlé, boullion safrané aux legumes du pot-au-feu, huile de persel

The cauliflower florets went well with the saffron broth, but the diced carrots and peas were not interesting An olive flavored phyllo crisp perked up the presentation however.

Le fromage fermier de vache

A fresh cheese was served with walnuts and walnut oil in lieu of the cheese tray which was quite understandable at 23 euros.

Gâteau aux apricots secs, au safran et au chocolate

The saffron worked with the chocolate, but the apricots were too chew and less successful.

From the 35 euro menu I ordered:

Brandade d'asperges et cabillaud etuvé, jus de cresson, asperges et buerre noisette

The humor here was that the cod was a piece of fish and the brandade a puree of asparagus and potatoes. It was an inventive dish with flavors that were familiar comfort food and a wonderful counterpoint to the more creative meal of last night.

Filet de truite fario poêlé, pommes de terre à l'oseille, points de choux et jaune d'oeuf a l'huile de noix

Filet of pink fleshed trout, (farm raised--we were told that wild trout has become almost extinct) with small potatoes that were hollowed out and filled with sorrel puree. There was an unusual garnish of a thickened egg yolk on the warm plate and points de choux which looked a lot like Chinese broccoli or the tops of young asparagus as they flower. Once again not as challenging as some of last nights food, but inventive and well thought out nonetheless.

Fromages du Rouergue

The cheese trolley.

Crème brûlée à l'orange et au genièvre, pommes caramélisées, crème glacée au café et pain d'épices

Shreds of candied orange peel made the custard interesting. It was a nice variety of tastes on a plate and a bit of a mini sampling of desserts

Knowing Micheel's passion for new ideas, I suspect the menu is completely different this year and I suppose inflation has led prices to rise, but this is still an out of the way place and it depends on a clientele from the area. The few rooms at the inn are hardly enough to fill the dining room and it was filled when we were there.

[menton1]

About 20 km down the road from Albi is the dreamy village of Cordes-sur-Ciel, and it really is an authentic Medieval village perched on the very top of a hill. Smack in the center of the village is a gem run by Yves Thuriès, Le Grand Ecuyer. If you can't spend the night in the beautiful and quite reasonable hotel of the same name, do not miss the Michelin-starred restaurant in the same building. From the ambience, to the service, to the cuisine, everything is impeccable. The experience will be most sublime.

As an extra treat, Thuriès is also a master of spun sugar creations, a unique artisan creation that adorns the lobby and the restaurant tables.

This is the place to go if you are in this part of the Tarn! Le Grand Ecuyer Web Site