Over the course of this past summer, I’ve discovered a few new restaurants, and re-visited others. Be warned, this post contains many food pictures!!
La Galiniere is in Capestang, which is not all that far from Saint-Chinian. I don’t know why I had never been to this restaurant before, but I’m very glad that I finally I went! The restaurant is located on a little square, not far from the centre of the village. To one side is a wonderful mural, a real trompe l’oeil! You don’t get the full sense of it from the photographs – it is amazing if you are there in person!
Just across from the terrace of the restaurant is this fountain.
The starters were all delicious and the portions were generous!
Crispy chicken salad
Gaspacho
Marinated salmon
The main courses were as delicious as the starters, and the portions were once again generous!
Salmon with almonds and tapenade (the little jar contains a ratatouille flan)
Steak with a red wine sauce
The “Galiniere” burger made with duck breast
Cod crusted with tapenade
The cheese plate was modest in size compared to the previous two courses, which was welcome at that point! The cheeses were very good!
When it came to dessert the lights had come on. My poor camera had trouble coping with the light, and hence the following pictures are a little below par.
Strawberry mille feuille
An original way of serving sorbet!
The chef’s take on lemon meringue pie
I’ve not been able to find a website for La Galiniere, but from a facebook page it appears that the restaurant is closed Monday and Tuesday. Reservations can be made on +33 (0)4 67 26 14 77.
My visit to the Auberge de Madale was a re-visit – I had eaten there a number of times but the last time was several years ago. It was wonderful to see the (positive) changes which had happened in the intervening years! The dining room had been given a total makeover and is now very stylish. The big and airy room has whitewashed beams, very comfortable chairs and a lovely feel. Sound deflectors are suspended from the ceiling, and that means that the restaurant isn’t very noisy, even when it is full. On the day I visited, the weather was a little ‘iffy’ so we could not sit out on the terrace, but that was fine!
The concept of the menu is very simple: The price of 32 Euros per person includes everything – the aperitif, starter, main course, dessert, wine, coffee and petit fours. There are no choices to be made – no agonising over which wine to select, or what to choose for dessert!! The menu is posted on the website and it changes every two weeks!
Here is what I ate on recent last visit:
Nibbles Cherry tomatoes marinated in vinegar, wrapped in a slice of radish, air cured ham on a crouton, wonderful crisp bread with a tomato and pepper dip.
Rape de carottes des sables sur un yaourt au citron vert. Creme glacee saumon fume / Yuzu
Grated carrots on lime flavoured yoghurt. Smoked salmon ice cream with yuzu.
Tomate ‘Noir de Crimee’ / framboise. Cremeux pomme de terre/raifort racine, assisonne d’une vinaigrette betterave xeres
Black Crimean tomatoes / raspberries. Potato puree with horseradish; seasoned with a beetroot and sherry vinaigrette.
Pannacotta vanille, rhum et jus de melon. Sorbet abricots / basilic
Vanilla panacotta, rum and melon juice. Basil and apricot sorbet
Mignardises
Home-made marshmallows and dried fruit ‘sausage’
As you can see, the food is beautifully presented! It tastes even better than it looks!!
The Auberge de Madale is open for lunch and dinner from Wednesday to Sunday. Reservations are by telephone only on +33 467 230 193 – be sure to book well ahead. Something else to be aware of: the restaurant does not accept credit cards, payment is by cash or cheque only.
The restaurant Parfums de Garrigues was another re-visit earlier this year. I went to eat there not long after it had first opened many years ago, and then it somehow dropped off my radar! When I went to eat there early this year, I enjoyed it so much that I went back two more times!! The food was delicious each time I ate there. Chef Jean-Luc Santure gained his experience working with such gastronomic luminaries as Jacques Maximin, the Troisgros brothers and Eckhart Witzigmann.
I’ll share with you the pictures of my latest meal in August at Parfums de Garrigues.
Nibbles!
Starter: terrine of foie gras
The fish course: razor clam, mussels, scallops, king prawn, white tuna, seabass
Fricassee of wild mushrooms
A palate cleanser – muscat sorbet with muscat eau de vie
A mixed grill with summer truffles
The cheese course – all perfectly ripe
Dessert was a mixed platter of home-made desserts and ice creams
All three meals at Parfums de Garrigues were delicious, and the food changed with the seasons. I won’t wait all that long before I return there!
Do make sure that you book a table, you’ll find details on the website for the restaurant.
midihideaways 
They look excellent.
Sometimes the little places with no Web site are extremely good–good enough that they don’t need to advertise or to go online because they have plenty of business with word of mouth.
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You are absolutely right!!
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It’s interesting – the Auberge de Madale has a website where they post their menu (changes every two weeks), and yet I expect that most of their customers come by word of mouth. We were the only non-French that day! In the summer it can be a challenge to get a table unless booked a week or two in advance!
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We have a resto like that here. Small menu, changes every few weeks but always with something for everybody, in the middle of town but in such a maze of a lotissement that every car parked in front had 11 plates–all locals. No Web site, just word of mouth.
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Mouthwatering photos of food. Thanks for these 3 recommendations. We walked around Capestang one day during our winter stay in St Chinian a few years ago and found the murals, so we enjoyed the trip down memory lane this post provides! Now an added reason to return – the restaurant! Plus the other two!
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Glad you enjoyed the post and that it was a nice trip down memory lane for you, Wendy!!
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I have been lucky enough to eat in La Galiniere several times over the years. We were there for dinner & it was definitely the best restaurant we experienced while staying in Capestang. Thanks for rekindling very happy memories!
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Hi June, I have to agree, La Galiniere has to be the best restaurant in Capestang!! Glad you have such happy memories of your visit!
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Oh my goodness all this food is amazing!
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Thank you! It was all very delicious!!
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I would have a hard time to make my choice 🙂
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