After working all over France and Spain, Bagnères-de-Bigorre-natives Aurélie Andrades (a pastry chef) and Paul Rami (a cook) returned to their hometown to open up La Table du Cinq (mosaic tile floors, red banquettes, mouse grey armchairs). The Saturday we went for lunch, the inseparable duo cooked up an impressive menu for €36: divine flash-seared scallops nestled against slow-roasted butternut squash with verbena and rosemary, moistened by a haddock emulsion; a rich Aquitaine suckling veal rump that was incredibly tender, with smoked green cabbage and an amazing sauce bordelaise; before a striking white and dark chocolate ganache and pudding duo, with a chocolate-hazelnut crisp and passion fruit sorbet. At lunch, the unbeatable menu of the day for €15.50 might feature something like ham and emmental gougères; line-caught hake fillet with new potatoes and a briny jus; and a praline cake. // P.L.
FEELING THIRSTY? A wine list with next-to-nothing prices: a Côtes-du-Rhône red from the Domaine Juliette Avril (€4.50 a glass), L’Empreinte, a Saint-Mont red (€25 a bottle), a Limoux white from La Butinière (€28)…
PRICE: Menus €15.50 and €30 (weekday lunch), €25-36 (dinner and weekends), kids’ menu €11, à la carte €36-44.
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