Gaillac?

[johannabanana]

Any Gaillac recommendations? We're planning on heading there in June, following up from these threads, where we've received much help!
http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/830249
http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/830666

So far, Aux Berges du Cerou stands out via Ptipois' blog although it's hard to glean much else about it online.

[Parigi]

Don't forget to check out nearby Albi, a beautiful town - now on the UNESCO heritage list - with good eats.

[Yank]

100% agree with Pargi. Don't miss Albi.
The cathedral, the museum & the newly restored covered market are all worth a look.
Restaurant recommendation in a post above.

PS: My wife loves the boutiques in central Albi.

[johannabanana]

I definitely won't miss Albi. Read in Michelin guide about a Tuesday evening market bio (with crafts too) in Albi - have you been to this?

[Yank]

yep. There's some kind of market everyday in Albi

[johannabanana]

Thank you again! Here's our report:
http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/854933

[Yank]

Can't give you any help regarding where to stay. We're too local to have used any of the nearby hostelries.
Can't think of any outstanding restaurants in Gaillac itself, but there are some nice places nearby.

A favorite is: http://restaurant.loucantoun.fr/. This is a small village, very nice dining room, good food & local wine list. Try the 'gallian' on the wine list. the owners husband makes it, you'll please her & the wine's good. There is a B&B in the village, but I don't know much about it.

Another good restaurant is: http://www.lafalaiserestaurant.com/. This is in Cahouzac-sur-Vere. They're good. There's also a little 'hole in the wall' place in the main square of Cahouzac (the town's not big) that's fun. Don't know the name, but the owner is a hoot & very hospitable. Watch out for his Eau de Vie!

A third place is: http://www.chateaudesalettes.com. Just a bit North of Gaillac. They've recently earned their first Michelin Star. My understanding is that the rooms are pretty good as well, but I have no personal experience.

Finally, there is: [e-mail]. Unbelievably they don't seem to have a website, but they do have a Michelin star. Located across from the museum & cathedral. Also, just up the hill is the superbly refurbished covered market.

There have been a lot of road works in central Gaillac, but I think they're nearly finished now.

There are many other more modest restaurants in the area. A Michelin search on Gaillac restaurants will show many of them.

Have fun.

[johannabanana]

Thank you Yank! Most helpful. Lou Canton looks good. (Have you been to Aux Berges du Cerou? Just wondering if it's still open.)

[Yank]

Haven't been for 2-3 years. It was good when we went, but not outstanding,

They're closed over the winter & are scheduled to reopen in March. May give them a try then. If so I'll report.

[johannabanana]

Thanks Yank -- glad they're still running at least.

[Parigi]

Yank, yours is the kind of post that I steal from A to Z and store in my archive.

You're in gaillac. You have to have a wine focus.
My fave, Vigne en foule, is a wine bar with wonderful tapas. Very fine cuisine without being fussy. Dinner tends toward the expensive.

Our landlady had also steered us to an improbably place that looked kind of wrong-side-of-tracks depressing, but looking at all the cars parked on the nondescript road, we knew it would be a gem. The elaborately nondescript interior matched the elaborately nondescript street. The food was great.
I can't find the name !
All this is not helpful, unless it rings a bell with Yank...

[mangeur]

Parigi, did your landlady offer either breakfast or dinner?

[Parigi]

Breakfast.
Lucille Pinon. 8 place St Michel (former mayor's residence). I swear by her.
http://lucile.pinon.hotes81.monsite-o....

[mangeur]

Many thanks for this good addition to this keeper thread.

[Yank]

Pargi; Thank you for the kind words & for reminding me of Vigne en Foule. They have a nice little website:

http://www.vigneenfoule.fr/.

They are good.

I don't actually live in Gaillac, we live near Verfeil-sur-Seye which is about an hour North. I go down that way a lot as that's where the nearest golf courses are located. (Get this, our favorite course at Florintine serves a great Japanese lunch!

)

I'm not sure of where you mean in Gaillac. The problem is that there are a number of places, hole in the wall types, scattered around this countryside that serve good food. Mainly, they're only open for lunch & cater for the French workmen. A full lunch including 1/4 of wine is typically 10-14€. The quality varies, but is normally pretty good, not fancy at all, but good.
You're spot on with the parked cars comment. Its a sure sign of a good place.
If anybody's interested I've done a list of local places. You'll find it on: www.fifi82.org. (My wife's ladies group) under Local Resources/restaurants. These range from starred places to dumps.

[Parigi]

"Verfeil-sur-Seye"
You're near Najac! Do you have a good resto rec there? I have only picnicked in the beautiful village.
You also mentioned that there are recs on Albi restaurants on this thread, but I can't find any. My brain, like the rest of Paris, is frozen out of service.

[Yank]

No, no great restaurants in Najac. Nothing even much good really. The hotel restaurant has pretensions, but that's all they are. We like the Italian place as you come up the hill (Il Cappelo) as its cheap & cheerful & the food is honest.
L’esprit du Vin is the only really good place I know in Albi. There are a number of medium quality places, but nothing stands out.
My brain too is frozen. -8 this morning then 8-10 cm of snow. The dog loved it, but we didn't. Fortunately, one of the farmers had cleared the road.

[johannabanana]

Hi Yank -- hope it thawed a bit! Any thoughts on l'Epicurien in Albi?

[Yank]

Still very cold, but sunny. Supposed to stay that way all week. Most unusual for us to have minus temperatures for this long. Global warming, Hah!
Haven't been to L'Epicurien for quite a while, but it was good last time & local friends swear by it.
Interestingly, there is another restaurant by the same name in Villefranche de Rouergue which is not a million miles away. It too is good. In fact the best restaurant in Villefranche. (http://www.restaurant-lepicurien-vill...) Thursday market in Villefranche is very good.
You could try them both.

[Parigi]

I love Villefranche sR. On our annual holiday in the lot, never once do I miss the Thursday market in Villefranche.

[Yank]

I agree, but the Saturday market in Figeac is great as well & must be closer if you're in the Lot.

[Parigi]

Saturday is the day of arrival and departure for rentals, therefore I have never had the chance to go to the Figeac market, but I am very fond of Figeac and always enjoy having a meal and showing friends on the OT's self-guided walk around the old town.

[Yank]

Ah yes, we used to run a gite so I understand your problem.
We used to tell people that if they wanted to arrive early on Saturday they could drop off their luggage & then go to market, then have lunch somewhere by which time the house had been cleaned from the preceding guests. It worked for some, but if you're driving down from Paris on the Saturday it wouldn't work.
Don't know how far up into the Lot you stay, but if you're down near the river the Sunday market in Limogne isn't bad or too far, not big but more than Ok. There's a good cafe for people watching & a not bad restaurant ( http://www.rince-cochon.com/) for lunch.

[Parigi]

We like the Limogne market very much. Besides, on the road down there from St Cirq, we like to stop to check out the hidden dolmens in the woods. -- We must have crossed paths a zillion times.

[johannabanana]

Will try both the market and probably at least one of the Epicuriens!

[erica]

I've not been to L'Epicurian in about 3 but we did have a good dinner there back then and I also have local friends who are frequent patrons.

[johannabanana]

Yes Vigne en foule looks super!