CAFE DES ARTS, PUISSERGUIER: RESTAURANT QUICK TAKE

Maybe it's not a good idea to judge a restaurant in times of stress. Maybe it is. To be sure, the Café des Arts in Puisserguier is a jumpin' place on market Friday. The sidewalk behind the market stalls are packed with tables and the tables are packed with all sorts of folks, young and old, meeting and greeting and passing the time of day over a coffee or a beer or a more exotic alcoholic beverage. 

At about 12:30, the two bustling young barmaids who had been hawking the drinks transformed seamlessly to waitstaff taking orders for lunch. I don't know the drill for a regular weekday. Maybe there's a menu, maybe not. On market day, the choices were limited but sufficient. The five of us had no problem with the range of dishes to choose from, no problem with the food when it arrived, and no problem with the bill averaging about 16.50€ apiece for beers before, wine with, and three courses. 

As is the norm in these sorts of places here in the south of France, solid food with the occasional pleasant surprise. Worth trying on market day or any day. An extra bonus? The bypass is finished. No through trucks. Much quieter.

HERE'S their Facebook page. Read more of my restaurant reviews HERE. 

Tasty little charcuterie plate at the start...

Or start with a seafood cassoulet. It's the first time that we've encountered it. One of those surprises...

French beef, but at least the fries were fresh and not reconstituted.

A slice of veal liver, properly done, for those into liver.

One of those white, Mediterranean fish that abound in a proper cream sauce. Rice instead of fries might have been nice.

Apple tart with a custard-like base. And, of course, a bit of cream.

House mousse. And, of course, a bit of cream. Intense dark chocolate. Yum.