At first we sat down here to enjoy a glass of Rosé. It was after 1 pm and it was getting really warm in La Romieu, a small picturesque village in SW France that boasts a UNESCO World Heritage Site in its perimeter. However, the two toddlers needed food, and so we decided to eat at the only place open in the square, L'étape d'Angéline. All the tables under the arcades were occupied, so part of our group of 12 had to sit out in the sun. Too bad they did not have an umbrella for our table. The midday sun was a little much. By the time people in our table were ready to have lunch, it was almost two and the kitchen was closing soon. The servers told us we can order from their salad menu. There were several salads to choose from and each looked hearty enough for lunch. They are Salade Composées, so they are meant to be a complete meal. And they were that--a meal in itself. I had the Salade Gasconne which had two very generous slices of foie gras (SW France is known for their foie gras), nicely crisp and browned small baked potatoes, sliced duck breast and gizzard and tomatoes. Delicious and for less than 15€ with VAT and Service Charge included (all prices everywhere in France including restaurants include tax and service charge), it was a steal. Foie gras in this region is so inexpensive and is artisanal, so we were really lucky. Someone in our group had the salad with warmed chèvre on toasts, another with the confit de canard (another specialty in this area), another with melon, cheese and ham. We ordered another carafe of Rosé and everyone happily ate their salads. To end our meal, we ordered cheese. They had given each of us a small plate with thinly sliced Comte with a teaspoon of honey and nuts. So simple but so good! Service turned out to be good even though they didn't seem happy at first to be having another big group sit down close to closing time. I would definitely come back for the salads again. Perfect summer meal! read more

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