I've been eating at this restaurant since it was a cosy Auberge in a small but beautifully restored…read morestone building making up a corner on the village square. It typified French rural dining for me, simple, fresh, seasonal local ingredients prepared with passion and served in comforting surroundings. When they proudly opened up the new, seemingly characterless, restaurant across the street I was fully prepared not to like it, despite the terrace with fabulous views. Outside it was a bland building, out of character with the honey-colored stone and beautiful architecture of the village. Inside, it was typically nouvelle frou-frou Parisienne. But try as I might, I still loved it. And why wouldn't I? Chef Cyril is committed to fresh, local produce and has a passion for seasonal local food. He is not only an imaginative chef, constantly thinking of new ways to cook and serve traditional ingredients but a good one too. The flavours he creates are a constant surprise and delight. The interior of the restaurant is warm, comfortable and inviting and the terrace is a wonderful place to linger on a warm summer afternoon with Armagnac and coffee after your meal. His partner Camille runs a welcoming and efficient front of house and Fabien, who I believe is a renowned sommelier, is a lesson to all servers on how it should be done, one of the best I have ever seen. Order your food and then ask him to recommend the wine, he will surprise and delight you every time and not always with the most expensive wine he could sell you. So, given my love affair with the Auberge and its management team, why only four stars? I recently took my sons there for the first time. While the food was excellent, it was noticeable that Camille and Fabien were not there and the service was pretty poor, not to mention the fact one young lady could really have done with a better wash. Camille did turn up part way through service and things bucked up but we definitely missed Fabien's sparkle. I have no doubt this was a blip and it does not put me off recommending this fabulous restaurant and its wonderful owners :-)

Excellent value restaurant in the village of Bardigues, near Auvillar, officially one of the most…read morebeautiful villages in France. Camille and Cyrille have recently redesigned and renovated the restaurant, creating a very attractive terrace, ideal for dining outdoors on those warm summer evenings. Whereas most restaurants in this area emphasise the regional specialities (duck, foie gras) the menus here tend to be more creative and sophisticated. Lunches start at 9 euros for just a main course and a glass of wine, and go to 17 euros for starter, main course, dessert and wine. Evening menus from 23,50EUR to 55EUR.