Carcassone and the Canal du Midi
I just returned from a barge trip up and down the Canal du Midi. In Carcassone, the harbor master recommended L'Oeil Resto at 32 rue de Lorraine - about a 10 minute stroll from the harbor. It was a small restaurant specializing in house made foie gras starters, including a cassolette of scallops and foie gras that was the hit of the evening. Another starter was sauteed foie gras with a blackberry puree. Main courses of various grilled meats and fish were cooked over an open fire of green oak, in the dining room. Desserts were also house made. We were the only English speakers in the restaurant, which seated about 40 people.
My other recommendation is in La Roubia, a very small village east of Homps/Argens and north of Lezignan-Courbieres. The name of the restaurant is La Fourchette Folle. It is under new ownership; the owners told us the previous owners had received poor reviews so if you have been there in the past, all has changed. The magret aux peches was one of the most expertly prepared and delicious duck dishes we had in our month of travels. Promised as a 'side' were sauteed potatoes which were actually pommes soufflees - every disk a little cloud of flavor. Again, we were the only English speakers dining in the restaurant; the chef's wife is Dutch and speaks English fluently.
Check them out,
Susan
