The food we love
Don’t underestimate our little village’s restaurant offering – it may be limited, but it’s good (and getting better!). The surrounding villages, nearby Pézenas, and not too far afield offer a wide variety of great eateries that cater to all tastes and budgets. Here are a few of our favourites (not necessarily in order of preference). If you come across a gem of a place, please let us know so that we can include it here for other South to South visitors to enjoy.
Les Grands Buffets, Narbonne
I have to confess, when someone suggested this restaurant my first thought was: not a chance – I detest buffets! But we went anyway – and got our socks blown off. This is a buffet like no other (possibly on the planet) and is nothing whatsoever like what I construe a “buffet” to be. Nope, not in the slightest!
First of all, the interior is very, very stylish and very opulent. The spaces are decorated with great taste, down to the starched white tablecloths and napkins, fine stemmed wine glasses, and decanted wine.
Secondly, the food. Oh, my goodness, the food. There’s a lot – like really, really a lot but it in no way takes away from the quality or the finesse. From appetizers to seafood to meat to vegetables to soooooo much cheese, and desserts to die for. The wine list is well-curated and priced very reasonably.
I can’t do it justice – visit the website for a better idea of what to expect, but more than that, take a drive to Narbonne to experience this marvel for yourself.
The Restaurant Les Grands Buffets in Narbonne has adopted a French tradition historically called “French service” – that of buffets. Since the Middle Ages, this is how crowned heads and the French aristocracy give their grand banquets. Different from the English or Russian service, the French service consists of serving all the dishes at the same time on a "buffet " inviting each guest to compose his menu according to his taste and his imagination.
Just remember to book in advance. Le Grands Buffets has a huge capacity (you won’t know it, as there are several rooms to keep things cozy on a grand scale) and it’s incredibly popular. We went for the lunchtime sitting, which was wise, as we very happily needed a nap afterward.
Contact them
Les Grands Buffets
Freedom Roundabout
11100 Narbonne
Book online
BK-Restaurant, Montagnac
Probably one of the best meals we’ve had in France. Actually, definitely one of the best. Every dish was perfect, from starter to dessert. What an absolute treat to enjoy great cheffing skills in beautiful surroundings. (That was the review I left on their FB page after our last visit.)
Quite honestly, I don’t have the necessary culinary knowledge to do this amazing restaurant justice and it won’t suffice to say it’s exceptionally awesome.
Starting at the chef, Annett Teich: she is an art form all on her own. Her cooking style is inventive and speaks of a wealth of experience garnered around the world.
Quoting from the restaurant website (and it’s not just in-house hype, it’s spot-on!): “Annett’s outstanding cuisine revolves around fresh, high-quality products that she has carefully selected.” Gosh, can we vouch for that!
Also, “often working with exceptional meats, this chef’s dishes are always subtle and sophisticated. At BK restaurant, her gastronomic creations are perfectly complemented by excellent wines, selected by her husband and wine sommelier, Bernd. Annett is the first female chef in France to become JRE member since the creation of the association in 1974.”
For those who don’t know what JRE is, it stands for Jeunes Restaurateurs d’Europe and it’s the association of the best and youngest European haute cuisine chefs.
We sure have great taste ;-)
Seriously though, BK is situated in a small village, Montagnac, which is about a 15 minutes’ drive from Caux. The interior is understated because the actual structure is just too beautiful. Everything about the décor is subtle and classically classy.
We were there before Covid-19 struck and kept everyone indoors. That’s when we had amazing ribeye from Dieter Meier's Ojo de Agua. It was melt-in-the mouth, cooked to perfection and served with style. More than two years later, I can still vividly remember the whole experience (and I can hardly remember what I had for breakfast today!)
We can not wait for a repeat visit when we go back to Caux in September 2022. We keep up with what’s happening at BK via good ol’ social media and it looks like they’re ready to give your tastebuds some 10-star treatment.
Remember to reserve a table – if I was you, I’d do so way in advance.
Contact them
BK Restaurant
Avenue Pierre Sirven 4
34530 Montagnac
Tel: +33 4 67 89 42 24
Le Very'table, Néffiès
This tiny restaurant in neighbouring Néffiès is pure delight on all fronts: superb food, outstanding service and beautiful interior. Throw in a good wine list and you have all you need for a real feast for all your senses.
We can’t recommend this place highly enough. We had the most wonderful anniversary dinner there last year (2021). Each course was expertly executed and beautifully presented. A culinary and visual feast. No wonder it’s hard to get a reservation, but totally worth persisting.
This is fine dining in a small village that you could easily drive past. Don’t make that mistake. Also, don’t make the mistake of thinking you can just pop in: you have to book way in advance as Le Very'table may be little, but it is fiercely popular.
Also small is the menu, but honestly, you could close your eyes and point at any item and it will be delicious. Everything is fresh and prepared with the skill that sets the chef apart.
I feel like we should go there every night for a week to try every item on the menu, just in case our own natural preferences rob us of experiencing something unique.
By the way, there are similarly named restaurants elsewhere, but the Néffiès Le Very’table is one we know, love and recommend.
Contact them
Le Very'table
6 rue de Saint-Alban
34320 Néffiès
Tel: +33 4 67 24 07 86