Garopapilles, Bordeaux Michelin-starred restaurant review

When I think of French Michelin-starred restaurants, I picture temples of haute gastronomy with starched tablecloths, stiff waiters and cream heavy dishes.

Garopapilles in Bordeaux is the antithesis.

At this cool wine shop meets restaurant there are no tablecloths, the friendly waiting team are eclectically dressed and the food is light, modern and seasonal.

Having opened in 2014 as a joint venture between chef Tanguy Laviale and wine specialist Gael Morand, Garopapilles was awarded a Michelin star in 2018.

 
It was sunny on our visit so most tables, including ours, had been moved outside into a pretty courtyard. Two menus were available at lunchtime, a 5 course tasting menu for €60 and a 3 course market menu for €35. With a bucketload of eating ahead of us, we decided on the lighter option.

To accompany our meal, we had a couple of lush glasses of wine by the glass including a delicious Bordeaux (obvs) and a Côtes du Rhône which each cost around €7,50 a pop. If you fancy something by the bottle then there’s over 600 available.

 
Snacks saw a quartet of uber-thin and crisp tartlets filled with light and nutty chickpea mousse dotted with pieces of smoked herring, tangy feta and a lift of mint. 

A carpaccio of meaty John Dory was joined by pearls of salty lobster roe, crisp croutons, fresh-as-you-like al dente peas and an aromatic and creamy lemongrass soup. 

 
Bread was of the highest calibre - a crunchy, squishy and buttery brioche twist and a lovely white baguette. 

Mrs G declared her fillet of iberico pork to be the finest bit of pig she’d ever eaten. Phenomenally tender, packed with flavour and blushing pink, it was accompanied by a glossy meat sauce swirled with butter, mushrooms, caramelised baby onion and white and green asparagus. A few pesky seeds added no flavour and their only purpose seemed to be getting stuck in my teeth. 

A cheese course to share (€12 supplement) saw two good sized pieces of creamy and bouncy Saint Nectaire served with a fruity and tangy homemade apple and rhubarb jam. 

 
With produce as fine as seasonal cherries, things don’t need to be overcomplicated. Lightly poached and served warm in their cooking liquor, the sweet and slightly sharp fruit was joined by candied pistachios, crisp baby meringues and a light botanical ice cream. 

 
A bowl of warm beignets served on the side were dusted in coconut sugar. They were so addictive it was a relief that we had a handful each. 

 
Accompanying the bill were pieces of light and squidgy blackcurrant marshmallow and a chocolate and pistachio cookie with a good crunch and chew. 

 
Lunch at Garopapilles kicked serious ass. The food and wine were lush and well-priced and the atmosphere was enjoyably relaxed. In terms of bang for my buck, I can’t think of many better meals I’ve eaten in 2018.

The Details:

Opening hours - Lunch: Tuesday to Friday, Dinner: Thursday and Friday

Address - Garopapilles, 62 rue Abbé de l'Epée, 33000 Bordeaux, France

Web - https://garopapilles.com/accueil/en/

Telephone - +33 9 72 45 55 36

Crumbs Kitchen, Cardiff vegetarian and vegan cafe review

In the cut-throat world of hospitality, I’m impressed when a restaurant or cafe manages to survive for more than a couple of years.

So to still be thriving after nearly half a century is pretty unbelievable.

Crumbs Kitchen, a vegetarian cafe in the Morgan Arcade originally opened in 1970. Whilst the cafe changed hands a few years ago, it still holds firm to the ethos of the original owner.

The well-priced menu comprises salad bowls (for which they’re well known), homemade soups, jacket potatoes, pies, quiches, curries and chilli. Nothing costs more than six quid and most things weigh in around £4.

Mrs G and I both ordered a small salad bowl (£3.85), which gave us a selection of three salads from the six on offer.

Everything was really fresh and tasty - sweet shredded red cabbage and carrot, nutty brown rice flecked with crunchy peanuts and a creamy coleslaw punctuated with pieces of pear. 

Mrs G added a couple of extras in the shape of tahini and garlic rich hummus (80p) and a scattering of peanuts (45p). 

 
A slice of lovely quiche (£3.35) was packed with tender broccoli and savoury stilton.

 
I would never have guessed that an organic mango and coconut cake (£2.75) was vegan. Moist, a touch dense and heady with tropical fruit, it was a lovely bit of cake. 

We had a delicious, fresh and great value quick bite to eat at Crumbs. Here’s to the next fifty years.

The Details:

Address - Crumbs Kitchen, 33 Morgan Arcade, Cardiff CF10 1AF
Web - http://www.crumbskitchencardiff.co.uk/

Telephone - 029 2039 5007