Native

A yellow bar, suggestive tiling by Karla Sutra, a Mondrian-esque color scheme on the terrace… At his tiny bistro on rue des Cardeurs (named after the chef’s Perpignan roots and love of natural wines), the former-sculptor Damien Teixitor lights up the Perpignan night with his high voltage plates. The evening we went, we had: carn de Parol (pork head cheese) with pickled red onions; delightful smoked cucumber with roasted pepper, homemade labneh and za’atar; cheeky thyme-smoked mackerel with watermelon, mint jelly, fermented mangetout beans and fig oil; incredible raw calamari carbonara with egg yolk and mustard greens; tender lamb chops paired with miso-glazed eggplant, all grilled on the barbecue; before a typical recuit (a Catalan fromage blanc) drizzled in honey and sprinkled with pistachios and redcurrants. // G.V.

FEELING THIRSTY? Natural wines from the region: an orange wine from Julien Brosselin and Ivo Ferreira (€3.50 a glass), a red from the Domaine Mada (€4) or Radicante from Oscar Mancillas (€19 a bottle), a pet’ nat’ from Le Clos Lentiscus (€30)…

PRICE: Plates €4-14.