Review by Janis Blanchard, Food:
Service:
Atmosphere:
From the Scotsman http://living.scotsman.com/food.cfm?id=1217502007
Getting right on course for the taste of France
JANIS BLANCHARD
(jblanchard@edinburghnews.com)
JEAN MICHEL Gauffre arrived in Scotland from his native France over 30 years ago for a European Cup final between Bayern Munich and St Etienne.
The French team lost, but instead of drowning his sorrows with his fellow countrymen on the return journey home, he stayed and he's been here ever since.
THE BILL
Two set dinners £43
Bottle of Mas des Chimeres 2002 £24.50
Glass of Armagnac £6
One large espresso £2.50
Service charge £7.60
Total: £83.60
Quality of food ****
Menu choice ****
Surroundings ***
Service ****
Value ****
In that time he has amassed a host of awards in recognition of his culinary skills, all of which eventually saw him swap the kitchen for executive roles within the luxury hotels bracket.
But you can't keep a good chef down and in 2001 Jean Michel reignited his love affair with the kitchen when he opened La Garrigue bistro, just off the city's Royal Mile.
Six years down the line, business is booming and another plaque acknowledging that success has been added to the colourful grouping displayed on the outside wall.
This time, an award from Les Routiers, in the category of Scottish restaurant of the year. Could it get any better for the Frenchman from Languedoc?
Well, it appears it can, but not on these shores. He is creating a second restaurant -L'auberge de la Tour in the charming village of Combret near Roquefort.
However, the wheels of bureaucracy move slowly in that part of the world and the new venture won't be up and running until next summer, if you are thinking of hopping over the channel for your first taste of Languedoc cuisine.
Staying closer to home, La Garrigue delivers a taste of la bonne vie far quicker, of course, and the Jeffrey Street premises won't disappoint - as we discovered this week.
Standing out like a beacon in a sea of near grey, the hyacinth-blue painted building is certainly eye catching. But as soon as you step over the threshold, the only thing you will be commenting on is the wonderful aroma escaping from the kitchen.
And how could it be any different, as we came to learn with such an array of dishes like braised pork belly, Mediterranean fish soup and squid in crayfish sauce?
Perhaps our earlier visit to an adjacent bar had left us too mellow to charge through the menu, because we were no further forward when the waiting staff returned for the second time to take our order.
My dining companion thought asking the neigh-bouring table for advice would be a sensible idea, but according to our Festival visitors, everything was great, so it was back to the drawing board although our growing hunger had begun to prompt us into decision making mode.
After an amuse bouche of fragrant, blended melon, first choice to arrive across the table was salt cod, garnished with salad niçoise and served with a fennel and tomato salsa.
And very appetising it looked too, although the other half of this double act would have been pleased with a tad more fish and less potato. But he considered it light and fresh and a good intro for the lamb to follow.
The warm goats' cheese starter got the thumbs up from me. Beautifully creamy, it had an almost fondant-like texture, and although I would have preferred it on its own, I didn't mind the addition of beetroot on the side.
Jean Michel's desire to share his love of Languedoc cuisine extends to the region's wine, and he never tires of promoting vignerons he considers the best at producing the highest quality in today's market.
This particular area of southern France may not match the big guns in Bordeaux, but that doesn't mean the choice is narrow. We were not disappointed with a 2002 Mas des Chimères - a full bodied, robust red, and more than a match for a hearty, homely meat dish like the roast saddle of lamb that had arrived opposite.
I don't know if lamb and prunes is an authentic pairing or one of chef's creations. Whatever the origin, the combo worked although my companion thought portions on the small side and would have welcomed more meat and veg on his plate.
My sea bream emerged from the kitchen exactly as I like it - grilled just enough to crisp the skin, while losing none of its succulence. A fillet like this only requires a light contrast to balance flavours and the summer greens with a touch of pesto, sitting on a bed of coco beans, was an inspired choice.
And so to desserts or in our case, bypassing them in favour of cheese. But as far as we were concerned there really wasn't any contest. The selelction was fantastic, thanks to Jean Michel's supplier, Jacques Vernier - a man only the French are capable of acknowledging in true style, skilled in the art of maturing cheese.
If you make it to Languedoc this side of the Channel, round the evening off with a large Armagnac, pretend it isn't raining and you could easily end up hooked on La Garrigue.
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