Best Table Guide 2007

With its lovely loft-like feel (big windows, stone walls, wooden features), this fine dining establishment has been outshining all the moules-frites, crêperies and various other city center tourist traps for over ten years now. What’s on the menu? Original cuisine with local, Asian and even Aveyron influences, since that’s where chef Alexandre Bourdas is from. The other night the “small” five-course menu featured: a perfect pascade (a savory galette) as a prelude; elegant asparagus dressed in a red beet jus, with pomelo, fresh goat cheese and cumin-spiced bricelets waffles; Japanese-style salmon with shimeji mushrooms and cabbage leaves wrapped up like cigars, sprinkled with charred bread; excellent duck skewers with polenta and a lettuce heart jus; tender Aubrac tomme cheese over truffade-style potatoes; and for the grand finale, an orange sorbet with bitter almond cream tucked under plum shortbread. // C.P.

FEELING THIRSTY? There’s a wine list that runs the gambit from reasonable to exorbitant: Moulin des Dames, a Bergerac white from the Château Tour des Gendres (€12 a glass); an Alsace-Sylvaner vieilles vignes from the Domaine Ostertag (€35 a bottle); Les Crès, a Saint-Chinian from the Domaine Borie la Vitarèle (€63); La Mission, a Mercurey premier cru from the Château de Chamirey (€95)…

PRICE: Menus €96 and €136, kids €36.