The Best Restaurant in Perpignan?

Some good friends of ours treated us to a most memorable meal on Saturday night at Le Garriane. If you haven't eaten in this restaurant, which is regarded by local French foodies, as the best in Perpignan, you should do so without delay!!

Garry, from Sydney and Ariane, from Nice, run this modest looking restaurant near the train station in downtown Perpignan. They met in England where they were both working and moved to France in search of a restaurant to call their own. Ariane has some local family connections and on moving here , they opened their restaurant and have been feeding the foodies in what must be Perpignan's best kept secret since.

They both work over 100 hours a week, and do everything themselves, from sourcing the fresh produce to dreaming up their imaginative menus to washing the dishes and cleaning the floors.
The decor here is low key and understated ( think 80's french style) but the it is the food that is the star of the show and that's how it should be anyway..
In the evenings, they offer a menu découverte , a discovery menu of nine delightful courses. Here's what we had .. read it and salivate!

• Anchovies with citron and lime mayonnaise and parsley purée
• Courgette, stuffed with mussells, tomatoes, fennel and lemongrass
• Foie gras fait à la maison
• Sword fish, confit of peppers and a dash of squid ink
• Veal on a bed of aubergine purée, with cannelloni beans and a lemon parsley sauce
• Cheese with orange and tomato confit
• Chocolate slab with mint sorbet
• Strawberry and lemon sorbet with balsamic vinegar
• Coffee

And all this for the princely sum of 35euros. Unreal value.

Le Garriane
15 rue Valette
66000 Perpignan
Tel : 0468670744
Open for lunch : Wed,Thur,Fri
Evening : Wed,Thur, Fri, Sat
The restaurant only has 20 covers so booking in advance is advisable

Le Grain de Folie

Prawns served on a hot stone with a coriander and curry dipping sauce

This lovely restaurant in Perpignan which we tried out this week is situated on the hip and upcoming Avenue du LeClerc in Perpignan where all the hotspots are popping up these days. You have the new and very authentic Irish pub, O'Flahertys , Ben Aqui; the very popular tapas bar which opened up about 2 years ago and is always tightly packed. Also; Le Petit Pastis, another new French brasserie which opened it's doors this year and of course the wonderful and imposing Perpignan theatre just across the road. Thee place to be seen darlings!!!!
So, off we trotted last Thursday night to this highly recommended restaurant and we were not disappointed. The place has been newly decorated, white table cloths, floors and walls, very minimalistic ( they could have done with a good splash of colour on the walls , aspiring artists, take note) . A very adult feel to the place was the opinion of our Irish buddies with linen tablecloths, excellent service , hushed conversation and some serious nom nom nom :)

lobster salad

They do an excellent three course evening menu with lots of choice for 33 euros and another "Folie" menu for 18euros which I plumped for which was really good value.
The highlights of the meal were the starters of prawns on hot stones with a thai curry coconut/coriander dipping sauce ( you just don't get that kind of food in this part of France in general), the lobster salad, and the desserts: my moelleux of chocolate was exactly right, crispy on the outside and once cracked open, oozing hot chocolate sauce ; perfection.

raspberry delight

George was totally blown away by the raspberry patisserie and the cheese plate too was very adventurous with soft cheeses rolled in herbs and peppers. Très très bon!!!

cheese plate with a difference

The total bill , for four , with three bottles of excellent wine came to just under 200euros. Superbe for this level of dining.
Le Grain de Folie which literally means a touch of madness, a touch of genius might be more appropriate , is situated on
71 Ave du LeClerc
Tel : 04 68 51 00 50
Bon Apps!