Ok, it is time to stop crying about the disappearance of Alain Parodi. He is gone, and so is his…read morestar. The old Lou Cigalon was a special place, but clearly the cost of staffing a restaurant to maintain his Michelin star drove him into bankruptcy. The good news is this lovely room in busy Valbonne has recently re-opened under new ownership and is well worth a visit for excellent food at a fair price.
The new owners have been in business since summer 2010 and, to be honest, probably should have changed the name of the place. It is really no longer Lou Cigalon. But, what it is is quite good in its own right. Owned by a husband/wife (Maman et Pere) team (he cooks, she serves) the new owners provide a meal that is well prepared and even a bit innovative. We had Duck and Cod and both were delicious. Though, the duck might have benefited from a little more caramelization. The entrée was a duo of bacalao - Morue (dried cod) and Salmon. It was much lighter than the traditional potato & cream based bacalao and really delicious. Desert was a lovely bread pudding (a gateau Breton) of prunes.
The service was friendly, but not intrusive, and the room remains exactly as it was before, charming and comfortable.
In summary, while no longer a 1 star Gourmand experience, this is a delicious, above average, and very fairly priced (especially at lunch) respite from the usual tourist oriented fare that abounds in Valbonne.