Languedoc Roussillon

[Bux]

Graham, you give a rather middling review to your May 98 meal at the Auberge du Vieux Puits in Fontjoncouse. I see it's now got two Michelin stars. Have you had any experience there since 1998?

Any update on Les Feuillants in Ceret?  I know you were in the Languedoc just recently.  Any discoveries? I suppose I'm really asking about the Roussillon as much as anything, but really anything between Beziers and the Spanish border is of interest.

[grahamtigg]

Bux, we dined at Les Feuillants for two sucessive nights in April. The dishes were not quite as sharp and well defined as Belcastle but competent and made interesting by the careful use of spicing. An exceptionally enthusiastic wine waiter made for a hugely enjoyable experience.

In Beziers we're going to return to L'Ambassade in early June. La Table St-Crescent in Narbonne can be relied on for the food; some interesting ideas that liven up budget preparations. I see that David Merino in the Abbeye de Fontfroide has lost his star this year so that's going to be very much pot luck - I'd be interested to hear a report.

As for Vieux Puits we haven't been back, nor have I seen any reports. Yes it now has two stars and Michelin surely don't give these out lightly, even to those who play the game. Having re-read my notes then perhaps choosing from the carte may have served our tastes better.

[Bux]

Current plans have us in the area from about the 7-15th of June and in Catalunya on both sides of that time frame. We'll be with friends--an American couple who have retired to spend much of their year outside of Pezenas. A French couple we know, who call the Languedoc their home, will unfortunately be in NY at the time--or at least she will be here. The husband may return as they are having work done on their house there. Any chance of an overlap in time and interest in getting together? We have not been to L'Ambassade since they've redecorated, nor to Chez Philippe yet, although our friends rave about the latter.

As for Fontjoncouse, my suspicion is that the chef is just getting his act together and may have finally discovered his own strengths and weaknesses.

[et alors]

Hello all--my first post. i'll try to be proper. I've been reading for days (and searching fiercely) and am dying for recommendations for where to eat in the Languedoc.

I'll be in Paris the 18th-20th, then Languedoc until the 26th. sadly short. I've got reservations for the 24th at Auberge du Vieux Puits in Fontjoncouse (any good?). So I'll be in that area-- beziers, carcassone, etc. I'm not sure I'll venture to Toulouse or Montpelier, but with sufficient dining reasons, I would go that extra mile.

So: short notice means no ***, tragically. But I shouldn't spend the $$$ it requires anyhow. * and ** is fine if I can squeak in and they won't eat up my 401K.

My taste is for a small place, not too cher, where the chef is mad for food, and each dish is magical and I can order a menu without knowing what is on it. I love to trust the chef. I can't dress up in diamonds, so forgiving of a traveller's best effort would be nice. It's really really really all about the food.

Also, winery suggestions to visit and taste would be welcome.

I promise a report when I return.

[menton1]

The Languedoc covers a vast region, distances can be great.... it seems from the town you mentioned above that you will be near Narbonne. I would mention a place in Nimes but that is far, far away even though it is still the Languedoc. In Narbonne, a terrific restaurant is La Table St-Crescent in a gorgeous ancient building. In good weather the terrace is heavenly. Local specialties prevail here, lots of dishes with the local olives, truffles from Corbieres, and even desserts with olives. A great destination place.

La Table Saint-Crescent

Domaine Saint-Crescent leViel

Route de Perpignan

11100 Narbonne

Tél.: 04 68 41 37 37

[ann]

Like Menton1, we had the pleasure of dining at la Table Saint-Crescent, thanks to the recommendations I found in Graham Tigg's French Dining web site. I think you'll find a wealth of info about the Languedoc there.

[Steve Martin]

We didn't think much of the Crescent. I recommend Frank Putelat at La Barbacane restaurant, Hotel La Cité in Carcassonne. One star now, but massive potential. I seem to remember that it was a surprise menu, as well.

The three star Jardin des Sens in Montpelier is good value for a great experience and will probably not need all that much notice.

You might like a squint at the Languedoc pages on my website, www.eurosnaps.com - mostly photos though.

[et alors]

Big is relative when you grew up in the midwest... but still. I'm entering Languedoc in Bezier, and starring outward from there. Carcassonne is definate, and after that... narbone, foix are likely. But I'm playing it by ear.

Aigne is darling!

Edited March 17, 2004 by et alors (log)

[John Whiting]

Graham Tigg's French Dining

Definitely, especially Le Mimosa

[menton1]

If you are going to Carcassonne, try to stay overnight inside the walls-- Carcassonne is another of those places inundated by day-trippers that takes on a different atmosphere at night when all the buses are gone. The Cité Hotel is inside, if it is over your budget the Hotel Donjon is quite nice at a more reasonable price. Make sure to have the famous Carcassonne version of Cassoulet, best eaten at a bistro-- there is strong competition between Carcassonne, Toulouse, and Castelnaudary for the ultimate cassoulet, and this will put one notch in your belt.

You might also consider Albi, a 90 minute drive from Carcassonne. (Officially in Midi-Pyrenées, but just over the border of Languedoc). A massive church from the 15th century is there, as well as the Toulouse-Lautrec museum, with a giant collection of his paintings, much more than in the Louvre! 10 miles from Albi is the dreamy village of Cordes-sur-Ciel, where the great restaurant Le Grand Ecuyer resides. A great value as a 1 star, it really deserves 2; fabulous environment as well, very beautiful room-- and the chef-owner, Yves Thuriès, is a local celebrity also famous for his spun sugar artistic creations. They adorn the dining room, and are for sale as well. Very unique!

[wodtke]

And as long as you've gotten as far as Cordes sur Ciel, you might as well go on to Belcastel and Le Vieux Pont, which has been mentioned often on the this site and is a great experience. As another poster noted, the hotel is a great value, the food first-rate, and the people warm and welcoming.

Edited March 17, 2004 by wodtke (log)

[grahamtigg]

Absolutely second Le Vieux Pont at Belcatel. The village itself is idylic, especially out of the tourist season like now. Note that spring comes late to the Aveyron. We will be making every effort to get there for lunch in early April having missed out last year.

Went to the Vieux Puits in Fontjoncouse in 1998 and have not been motivated to go back. Friends in the trade went a couple of years ago found it "so what". They are also very sensitive to the overall warmth of a place projected by the personalities behind an operation. Vieux Puits was cool to freezing and that matched our experience. Would love to hear how it's doing now.

Yves Thuriès at Cordes-sur-Ciel was always a dessert specialist. Went in the early '90s and a menu doucer consisting of ten desserts and little else was a speciality. Even the conventional menus had three desserts, all seriously sugar based.

As for La Table Saint-Crescent in Narbonne there are some very interesting dishes, creative but neither offbeat nor flamboyant. It needs to be approached as a simple restaurant in a contemporary setting. The building is also the marketing outlet for the regions wines (only AOC) and well worth a browse.

Another option just north of Narbonne is Le Relais de Pigasse on the Canal de Midi at Ouveillan. Had an impressive meal last autumn, much better than the dismal affaire experienced soon after it opened a couple of years before. There will be a new chef this year but Michelin don't seem to have heard as it still has a star.

Graham

[menton1]

Yves Thuriès at Cordes-sur-Ciel was always a dessert specialist. Went in the early '90s and a menu doucer consisting of ten desserts and little else was a speciality. Even the conventional menus had three desserts, all seriously sugar based.

He is also an artist, creating unbelievable works of art with spun sugar. They are displayed all over the hotel and restaurant, and, a few doors away is the Museum of Sugar, with more fabulous creations. Thuriès is quite accomplished in many areas. Here are some pix of the sugar creations: Musée de Sucre

[RandyB]

Probably no where near anyone's route, but this place was an incredible find on our trip through the Languedoc a few years ago:

Auberge de Cabaretou

It's in the foothills somewhere related to Narbonne, at

Route de la Salvetat - D907 Col de Caba 34220 SAINT PONS DE THOMIERES

We were desperate, it was getting late, raining, and we were tired. The Cabaretou was nothing more than a name on a list of hotels. It was in the middle of nowhere. But the little cabin rooms were beautiful and cheap. (Current posted prices are 45 € or so for a double.) Then we went into the restaurant.

It was fall - wild mushroom time. Omigod, was it good. A young, creative but unpretentious chef doing incredible things with mushrooms, porc, fresh herbs, and puff pastry. (Not all in the same dish.) Prices were very reasonable. It was supposed to be a way station, but we stayed for 3 nights just because the food was so good. It also gave us access to wonderful hikes and little villages.

Sorry if this isn't helpful, but I had to tell someone about it.

[tony h]

Barbacane, Hotel Cite, Carcassonne

Impressive medieval fortress floating above the new part of Carcassonne. Well worth a detour if you anywhere in southern France. Great place for a stop over, sadly lacking real character & interest for a prolonged stat. Local wine, Corbieres, is fairly awful.

Anyway, the hotel Cite is situated in the caslte itself – a beautiful hotel & part of the group that own’s Le Manoir in Oxford.

Starters of beetroot soup (cold) with foie gras mousse (grainy) and vegetable strands (too acidic) were OK but not great.

Starters – Alan had the courgette flowers, I had the gambas. The courgettes flower were stuffed with what looked like a soufflé & came on a bed of roasted peper “sheets” and drowned in froth which hid the usually stunning flowers. There was a faint curry flavour to the froth – but it was largely pointless & detracted rather than added to the dish. My large prawns were extremely well it not overly seasoned & sat on a bed of onion “tortellini”. This was a hollowed onion with diced vegetables – raw diced vegetables. This then sat on f**king bean shoots. I waited – but no sauce arrived. Oh dear – very dry & salty. I ate one of the onion things. One was enough. When the plates were removed they quizzed me as to why I had left they food. Too dry & pointless I said. Waves of hatred came my way. Ah, well.

Mains were better. Aubergine slices on which sat belly & loin of lamb. This was accompanied with olive gnocchi & an olive reduction. Fine. I had superb roast foie gras with salt crust – this came with ravioli of confit duck & morels. Good if not quite identifiable sauce,

Desserts – we chose the “grand” dessert. Basically, we were pummelled with lots of small desserts, cakes & tarts, ice creams, petit fours and so forth. A good ending.

To their credit they did not charge us for my awful starter. However, its not a place I’d recommend to anyone

Post Script

The Hotel Cite is quite stunning but we’ve couldn’t afford to stay there. I booked hotel Montesgur instead – its within walking distance of the castle just to the west of the centre of the new town. Don’t bother – it’s a bit of a dump. Also tried the restaurant Languedoc which is own by the hotel – worst meal of the trip & least friendly. Why its got three knives & forks in the red guide remains a mystery.

[tony h]

Grand Ecyure, Cordes sur ciel

What a place! The hotel sits near the top of the medieval town of cordes. The room they gave had full length open windows which overlooked the surrounding valley. If you go – please ask for the prune room – you wont; be disappointed. At 150 euro per night – a bargain. One of the friendliest and most helpful hotels I’ve stayed in anywhere.

The restaurant is very strange. Each course is made up of three dishes and you select your menu from the 8 courses available. There’s a daily recommendation of 4 courses.

Note – there’s a bit of a flaw & multiple visits and not rewarded if they occur in quick succession as there’s no al a carte menu, as such.

Pre-starters – black pudding and apple soup; tapenade tartlettes, tomato tart (summer in a bite!); cheese tart and a fishy thing with ginger. All pretty good – the black pudding soup being the least successful – couldn’t take that too often.

Starters – salmon tartar with chilli parsnip; fioe gras with onion/red wine compote (so very good); terrine of red & green peppers with basil oil. I half expected the courses to be a variation on a single ingredient – but this was a fairly balanced and interesting set of starters.

First course – frogs legs with celeriac puree; mussle, cockle & prawn broth with fennel foam; scallops with citrus dressing & star fruit. The frogs were let down but too bland against the celeriac. The fennel came through wonderfully – lifting the dish. The citrus dressing was a little too string for the scallops – but still pretty good.

Next course – pigeon breast on a very, very cheesy risotto; lamb with artichokes; beef, onion, bacon with awesome red wine sauce. Three great dishes but all with very heavy sauces.

Desserts – star fruit with rosemary scented cream; caramel ice cream with coffee & nougat; there was more – I forget. The desserts, plus the petit fours, were the weakest part of the meal which surprised me given Thuries’s association with chocolate & sugar (they’re really into creating sculptures out of coloured sugar – lots of examples in the hotel & shop in the town). One of the petit fours was describe by Alan as “like eating golum’s eye”.

Don’t let that put you off – still a great place to come to even if there were a few odd moments in the meal.

Quick note about “Les Ormeaux” – just around the corner from the Grand Ecyure. Great little restaurant with hits & misses. Worth seeking out if you staying in or around Cordes more than one night.

[menton1]

Thanks for that report, Tony. Good to relive the Grand Ecuyer where we were 3 years ago. Love those spun sugar sculptures! Hope you got to Albi, only 30 minutes down the road, with the fabulous Toulouse-Lautrec museum and the Ste Cecile Church. Any cassoulet sampling yet?

[Le Zouave]

Brand new in Beziers: Octopus, ran by two former sous-chefs, from the Bristol and Cordeillan Bages near Bordeaux. Nice regional wine list (mostly unsulphered wines), modern decor, lovely patio if the weather's sunny enough: it's worth a star, and it's not too expensive (yet )

[John Talbott]

Brand new in Beziers: Octopus, ran by two former sous-chefs, from the Bristol and Cordeillan Bages near Bordeaux. Nice regional wine list (mostly unsulphered wines), modern decor, lovely patio if the weather's sunny enough: it's worth a star, and it's not too expensive (yet  )

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To add to Zouave's note: if you haven't been to the region in a while, the wines will be a pleasant surprise; great price-quality and breadth-depth ratios.

[Poppy Quince]

. I've got reservations for the 24th at Auberge du Vieux Puits in Fontjoncouse (any good?).

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We lunched at Vieux Puits in 2003 and it was fine, very good for a place in a tiny village in the middle of nowhere, but not "worth a detour".

As for Carcassonne, definitely stay in the Hotel de la Cité if possible. We had a room with a terrace opening onto the ramparts; a once in a lifetime experience. We didn't feel like the very formal Barbacane, so dined at Comte Roger, down and across the street. Again, quite a good meal without being stunning. The terrasse is lovely in nice weather.

If you should get to Toulouse, I recommend 7 Place St-Sernin for excellent modern food in a converted house, and Emile, with a terrasse in a pleasant square. These are both good without the need to break into your 401K.

[tony h]

Thanks for that report, Tony.  Good to relive the Grand Ecuyer where we were 3 years ago.  Love those spun sugar sculptures!  Hope you got to Albi, only 30 minutes down the road, with the fabulous Toulouse-Lautrec museum and the Ste Cecile Church.  Any cassoulet sampling yet?

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We just stopped for an hour or two passing through Albi to see the Lautrec (moved to a bigger, more impressive building). Didn't try the cassoulet - looks way too fattening & I'm fat enoguh as it is

Cheers

Tony

[tony h]

If you should get to Toulouse, I recommend 7 Place St-Sernin for excellent modern food in a  converted house, and Emile, with a terrasse in a pleasant square.  These are both good without the need to break into your 401K.

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Michel Sarran is unmissable - exceptional & inventive

Sod the budget, your holiday

[et alors]

I feel quite guilty for not returning after my trip-- I did eat well there and had my first starred experience at Vieux Puits, in which I was too shy to photograph. But I ended up returning a year later and had very good food including Jardin Des Sens

http://www.flickr.com/photos/eleganthack/sets/204297/

and le pont de l'Ouysse

http://www.flickr.com/photos/eleganthack/t...epontdelouysse/

I hope these photos make up for my delayed responses!

Edited August 17, 2005 by et alors (log)

[Bux]

I'm always glad to hear good reports about Jardin des Sens. We've had three meals there ranging from excellent to exceptional. The least impressive was just after a celebratory meal in NY that cost more money and in which the kitchen staff had knocked themselves out for Mrs. B's birthday. So that wasn't a fair night. All of these meals of ours were had some years ago before jardin des Sens had earned it's third star. Since then, I've heard mixed reports and some very negative reports. The restaurant obviously went through a period of turmoil. Perhaps some of it related to the pressure of three stars and the worldwide expansion capitalizing on those stars. Let's hope it's back on course and that talent so obvious to us in earlier times is prevailing. On another thread, we have a report of a fine job done the Pourcels catering division.

[S_tran]

Bonjour,

How are you all doing? So it is confirmed now that I will be staying in and around Cap d'agde and montpellier for 3 months!!! I'm really excited and will be leaving May 31st, I will be working (as a cook)/travelling and after that I will be back packing in europe for another month and a half (12 countries in total). My questions is, what should i take advantage of during this time.

Is there anything specific I should eat or try or perhaps buy and bring back?

I have researched all the fine dining foods int he area but besides that are there hidden local secret eateries i should try?

Any information will be greatly appreciated!!

Thanks,

Steven