Les Figues

A small square warmed by the sun, a house with whitewashed walls and big pale green shutters on one side, and a tiny courtyard with an adorable storefront designed by Aïcha Snoussi on the other… All that was missing was the return of the prodigal daughter to complete this local bistro. That’s one and done with Vanessa De Carvalho (ex-Comptoir Gambetta in Paris), who now runs Les Figues in her beloved village of Saint-Gervais-sur-Mare, which welcomes a series of chefs-in-residency through the kitchen – Constance Henrot-Tardivier, Lisa Desforges, Elsa Galmiche… In the off season, there’s a set “pilgrim” menu, which is often vegetarian: an enticing butternut squash velouté with za’atar and toasted pumpkin seeds; lovely sautéed rice with anchovies, caperberries, black olives and Parmesan; and to round out the meal, some incredible farm-fresh goat cheese served with homemade thyme jelly, or a sublime canary melon salad with apples in fig leaf syrup. Also eyeballed on other tables, or eaten on previous visits: an incredible surf-n-turf option (spicy baked oysters with thinly sliced caramelized pork trotter, topped with minced sweet onions); slow-cooked bonito and beetroot tartare; red kuri squash served raw and cooked in a salad with dry goat cheese; tripe cooked in a caramel beer sauce… // Nour Passages

FEELING THIRSTY? : A blackboard menu that reflects the times: Dolmen, a Rhone orange wine from Le Cros des Calades (€6.50 a glass), a pinot noir from the nearby Domaine de Clovallon (€25 a bottle), and a few cocktails to spice up the night, like the one with mezcal, chipotle liqueur, elderflower and smoked paprika (€12).
PRICE: : Set menu €17 (lunch, €18 Saturday, Sunday and national holidays), small plates €6-14 (dinner).