A village bistro tucked away in an old mechanic’s garage, with braided rope light fixtures and vintage furniture… And in the kitchen, the Franche-Comté native Martin Leconte, who trained under the greats (Marcon, Bras), backed up in the dining room by his corkscrew-wielding partner, Maïlys Klein from Alsace. The day we went for lunch, he served a beautiful spread featuring a creamy chilled zucchini and mint velouté topped with salsa verde, siphoned burrata and pine nuts; two Gers poulet jaune corn-fed chicken skewers marinated in bouchka spices (cumin, coriander, cinnamon), which were perfectly grilled, and paired with cherry tomatoes, tomato jam, oven-roasted potatoes, pimientos de Padròn and eggplant; before a Mirandaise croustade cake for the gourmet finale. If you’re in the mood to share, there are cheese and charcuterie boards sourced from the Lalaque farm with pickled vegetables, plus beef cheek or porcini mushroom croquettes. And at night, a fine dining menu featuring, for example, pan-fried foie gras escalope, sesame and poppy seed crisps, beetroot-hazelnut dip and granny smith apple sorbet, or veal carpaccio cooked at 54°C, served with an oregano and pine nut condiment and arugula oil… // Gérard Roubeix

FEELING THIRSTY? : A few organic wines: a madiran from the Château Viella (€5.50 a glass), Dona Lisa, a Roussillon white from Le Mas Delmas (€50 a bottle), or Singulière, a Côtes-de-Gascogne red from the Domaine Herrebouc (€44).
PRICE: : Set menu €19 (weekday lunch), tapas €7-15, à la carte €46-56 (dinner and weekends).