Eating tips in SW France?

C

Christian Miller (CMM)

Christian Miller
We'll be traveling for several days in SW France, mainly in the Gers or Gascogne region around Auch, Agen, Nerac, Lectoure, Montauban, etc. Plus a couple of days down in Bayonne. Does anyone have any highly recommended restaurants in either of two categories:

1) modern or nouvellish cuisine featuring fresh ingredients and innovative technique, but not insanely (i.e. 2 or 3-star) expensive.

2) moderately priced (e.g. 12-25 euro menus) restaurants with good local country cooking, featuring specialties of the region.

Also, any tips on stellar charcuteries, boulangeries or patisseries would be appreciated.

Thanks, in advance,

Christian
 
We ate at nice place with a great old wine list in Cahors-but it looks like you will be south of there-if interested pm me.

mark meyer
 
For a delightful outdoor lunch on the banks of the Nive river in Bayonne, go to the Bayonnais. Excellent traditional cuisine, very moderate prices. They always have a small but good selection of red (and white) Iroulguy.
 
I'm also following this with interest, since we'll be on both sides of the border (or in one place, I suppose, depending on who you ask) later this year.
 
Hello,
Francois Simon is the food-journalist of The Figaro (a good one, the journalist, not the newspaper). He was "au pays basque" last week and tasted new adress (see the link below).
Best regards
pierre-alain

Arraya.
Pyrenns.
Hegia.
Mattin.
Auberge.
 
originally posted by Thor:
I'm also following this with interest, since we'll be on both sides of the border (or in one place, I suppose, depending on who you ask) later this year.
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We're off in a few days. Our guides are Pudlo and Pim in Paris plus some stuff from this board and its predecessor (thanks to all who posted). We have a hodge-podge of second-hand reccs in the Gers and Armagnac region. In Basque country, I am reliably informed that my brother-in-law, a resident of Bayonne, is serious about his grub and has fully scoped the surroundings. Based on the excellent gesiers and foie gras his wife has brought us in her visits, we're putting ourselves in his hands. Will report upon our return in a few weeks...
 
originally posted by Christian Miller (CMM):

We're off in a few days. Our guides are Pudlo and Pim in Paris plus some stuff from this board and its predecessor (thanks to all who posted). We have a hodge-podge of second-hand reccs in the Gers and Armagnac region. In Basque country, I am reliably informed that my brother-in-law, a resident of Bayonne, is serious about his grub and has fully scoped the surroundings. Based on the excellent gesiers and foie gras his wife has brought us in her visits, we're putting ourselves in his hands. Will report upon our return in a few weeks...
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Have a great trip, Christian! Don't forget to try a few of the wines.

Mark Lipton
 
I have a friend whose husband has a recent novel that is described in a review on Amazon as "half this book is a love letter to the Dordogne, its small towns and in particular its cuisine." Might that be near where you will be? If so, I'll ask her for suggestions (oh, she and her husband have a house there and that's where she is - and believe me, she's a true foodie - brought me homemade rillettes recently that were pronouced excellent by a french guest who is a major food snob).
 
originally posted by Thor:
No one has more fun than Rahsaan!
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I'm glad you recognize this!

But I've just been rolling around Paris and Bavaria for the past two weeks going from rich meal to rich meal to rich meal (and that's just the afternoon schedule) and it really becomes hard to work up an appetite without enough exercise!
 
But I've just been rolling around Paris and Bavaria for the past 10 days going from rich meal to rich meal to rich meal (and that's just the afternoon schedule) and it really becomes hard to work up an appetite without enough exercise!
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What Sharon asked, but also: I've seen you eat, and I suspect about eight minutes of exercise per day would burn off those calories. You can get that deconstructing a quail in a country where one must do so with fork and knife rather than finger and tooth.

Not that you'd have experience with that.)
 
originally posted by Sharon Bowman:
But don't you spit?
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I've been with civilians (and often quite fancy ones) who don't understand why one would want to spit out wine. Especially when sitting at a formal dinner with people who are paying lots of money to support my research.

I guess by spitting I could always play the Eccentric Academic card and give them a full dose of what wacky professors are prone to do. But my diplomatic non-spitting way seems safer.
 
originally posted by Rahsaan:
originally posted by Sharon Bowman:
But don't you spit?
Click to expand...

I've been with civilians (and often quite fancy ones) who don't understand why one would want to spit out wine.
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true - I always wonder why you spit - and that's just talking!
 
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