On the edge of the Chalets neighborhood (where Beineix shot his film Betty Blue), Sophie (a former wine merchant in Montpellier) and Aurélien Clegnac anchored their California dream (a sunny dining room, outdoor decking, pristine furniture) in place with a kitchen that serves food nonstop, from your morning granolas to your nighttime barbecued meats. The day we went for lunch: homemade focaccia with mozzarella, pesto and an oeuf parfait; Thai salad with Aubrac beef; pulled pork (from the Ferme Mayrinhac) with an aged cheddar sauce; a thin tart topped with tomato, mustard and chorizo…. And for us, an impressive stack of homemade brioche-style white bread, with free-range shredded chicken, sauce satay, spicy mayonnaise and coleslaw, which was seared up real nice; before a nirvana-esque almond, whipped cream, homemade praliné, pistachio and raspberry tart made by Claire, or a lemon, turmeric and ginger popsicle from Emki Pop. Seated under the stars, dig into tapas like octopus salad, pork fricandeau with homemade pickles, hummus, or patatas bravos, as well as BBQ meats and seafood – prime rib with chimichurri, sea bream caught off the coast of Gruissan… // Adrien Nouvaire
FEELING THIRSTY? Brooklyn Lager on tap (€3.60 for a half-pint), homemade lemonade and iced tea (€4), iced lattes and fresh juice (€5), cocktails (€8-10) and, when it comes to wine, a lot of impressive organic and natural labels (thanks Sophie): a Minervois Terret gris from Le Clos du Gravillas and a Côtes-Catalanes red from the Domaine Benastra served by the glass (€3.50 to €8), Languedoc reds from the Château Vieux-Moulin (Easy Rider) and Olivier Mavit (Ju Ju), both for €20 a bottle.
PRICE: Mains €14-16 (lunch), tapas €7-17, BBQ €16-18 and prime rib €80 (dinner in the summer), pastries €3 to €7.50, breakfast combo €12, brunch €26 (Sunday).
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