Restaurants

Les Temps des Vendages, Toulouse France

If you leave the old center of Toulouse, crossing the Garonne via the pont Saint-Pierre, you will arrive in the left bank quarter of Saint-Cyprian.  Less picturesque and with fewer sites to attract visitors, this side of the river offers instead the charm the of a French town quietly going about its daily routines. Located […]

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If you leave the old center of Toulouse, crossing the Garonne via the pont Saint-Pierre, you will arrive in the left bank quarter of Saint-Cyprian.  Less picturesque and with fewer sites to attract visitors, this side of the river offers instead the charm the of a French town quietly going about its daily routines. Located

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Au Pont Corbeau, Strasbourg France

The best winstub in Strasbourg hides in plain sight.  Restaurant Au Pont Corbeau is located right on the quai Saint-Nicolas, a somber, almost windowless brown facade frowning out at the Musée Historique de la ville de Strasbourg located just across the river in the heart of the old town.  If you didn’t know it’s reputation,

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Slide 1

The best winstub in Strasbourg hides in plain sight.  Restaurant Au Pont Corbeau is located right on the quai Saint-Nicolas, a somber, almost windowless brown facade frowning out at the Musée Historique de la ville de Strasbourg located just across the river in the heart of the old town.  If you didn’t know it’s reputation,

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The Clown Bar, 11eme Paris, France

In the past, if you had heard of the Clown Bar at all, it was likely in the context of its wonderful Belle Epoque clown decor, which is so iconic that is often shows up in architecture books on cafes of Paris.   The design pays homage to the Clown Bars history as a hangout

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In the past, if you had heard of the Clown Bar at all, it was likely in the context of its wonderful Belle Epoque clown decor, which is so iconic that is often shows up in architecture books on cafes of Paris.   The design pays homage to the Clown Bars history as a hangout

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Restaurant Arrantzaleak, Ciboure, France

Located on a quiet street fronting the estuary of the Nivelle river, behind the fishing docks in the Basque coastal town of Ciboure, Restaurant Arrantzaleak doesn’t give the impression that it might be one of the best known restaurants in the region.  The decor is modest, with even a bit of seaside schmaltz…the walls are

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Slide 1

Located on a quiet street fronting the estuary of the Nivelle river, behind the fishing docks in the Basque coastal town of Ciboure, Restaurant Arrantzaleak doesn’t give the impression that it might be one of the best known restaurants in the region.  The decor is modest, with even a bit of seaside schmaltz…the walls are

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Chez Canaille, Pau, France

  Chez Canaille is a bistrot, pure and simple.  That means copious portions, a menu that is meat-centric, heavy on charcuterie and doesnt stray far from traditional and regional specialties and a wine list of well priced bottles  from lesser known appellations.  In other words, no modern monkey business. Well, maybe a little modern monkey

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Slide 1

  Chez Canaille is a bistrot, pure and simple.  That means copious portions, a menu that is meat-centric, heavy on charcuterie and doesnt stray far from traditional and regional specialties and a wine list of well priced bottles  from lesser known appellations.  In other words, no modern monkey business. Well, maybe a little modern monkey

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“La Garde Robe”, Paris, France

Le Garde Robe calls itself at “cave a manger”, making the point that it is first and foremost a “cave” or wine shop.  And as a wine shop its offering of organic (or “bio”) and natural wines is impressive.  However, there is a lot more Le Garde Robe than wine.  During the course of the

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Slide 1

Le Garde Robe calls itself at “cave a manger”, making the point that it is first and foremost a “cave” or wine shop.  And as a wine shop its offering of organic (or “bio”) and natural wines is impressive.  However, there is a lot more Le Garde Robe than wine.  During the course of the

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“Le Petit Commerce”, Bordeaux France

The Petit Commerce, a bistro specializing in seafood, reminds me of two points regarding the city of Bordeaux that are not necessarily the first that come to mind when I think of this capital of wine. First, Bordeaux is a port city and as such, has a rich culinary tradition surrounding fish and shellfish.  

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Slide 1

The Petit Commerce, a bistro specializing in seafood, reminds me of two points regarding the city of Bordeaux that are not necessarily the first that come to mind when I think of this capital of wine. First, Bordeaux is a port city and as such, has a rich culinary tradition surrounding fish and shellfish.  

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“La Belle Auberge”, Castegnede, France

Having grown up reading Elisabeth David, I have always been enchanted with her descriptions of the auberges that populated the countryside of France when she first visited in the 1940’s.  The kind of place that one happens across when driving way off the beaten path, where a lunch of well cooked local fish, meat and

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Slide 1

Having grown up reading Elisabeth David, I have always been enchanted with her descriptions of the auberges that populated the countryside of France when she first visited in the 1940’s.  The kind of place that one happens across when driving way off the beaten path, where a lunch of well cooked local fish, meat and

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“Chez Mattin”, Ciboure France

Chez Mattin (pronounced “ma chin”) is a Basque bistrot in the fishing port of Ciboure, which lies across harbor from the larger coastal city of Saint-Jean-de-Luz.  With its menu of traditional Basque specialties and its wood beamed dining room, Chez Mattin feels like a portal into a simpler time in dining.  This is good, honest

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Slide 1

Chez Mattin (pronounced “ma chin”) is a Basque bistrot in the fishing port of Ciboure, which lies across harbor from the larger coastal city of Saint-Jean-de-Luz.  With its menu of traditional Basque specialties and its wood beamed dining room, Chez Mattin feels like a portal into a simpler time in dining.  This is good, honest

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