LA COURTINE

LA COURTINE - 4 Place Marcou, 11000 Carcassonne

La Cité in Carcassonne is full of restaurants, but quite a few are not really worth the prize. There are however some who are very good. We found one the other day – La Courtine. It is situated in the corner of Place Marcou, there you find lots of restaurants, most of them not worth a visit.

As we had our grand-children with us we were looking for a restaurant where they served spaghetti- This Italian restaurant did so. Ourselves we had their menu of the day and it was a good choice. The meat was tender and cooked to our liking and the chips and the salad was perfect. The dessert of the day was delicious. My wife however took a cheese-platter and I had café gourmande. The cheese was of very good quality which is not very common on less expensive menus. The restaurant also had pizzas which they had earned a prize for. We might try that next time.

The service was nice and friendly. The bill was however a small chock. They had added 16 euros together for my upgrade of dessert and my wife’s cheese. When we pointed it out they corrected it and gave us 10 euros back. It was probably a mistake this time, but it is too often in the summer that such mistakes happens to tourists. They might not think tourists are observant enough or do not master French enough to complain.

WEB:
LATEST VISIT: 2013
NUMBER OF VISITS: 1

LE PLÔ - AUBERGE MEDIEVALE

LE PLÔ - AUBERGE MEDIEVALE - 23, Rue du Plô 11000 Carcassonne

There are restaurants everywhere in Carcassonne and it is hard to judge where to go. Some  are good, some are acceptable, but a few are just there to attract tourists once. We visited the little restaurant Le Plô, which had got a large number of recommendations from the major guides and looked nice.

It was a very nice experience. We were in a bit of hurry as our guests had to catch I plane in Toulouse and it was one of the very heavy days on French motor-ways. We just took one dish each and asked if they could serve us quickly. Even if the restaurant was packed the food came almost immediately.  Two of us had sirloin which was perfectly cooked to our liking and very tender. It can, unlike in Sweden, be a problem sometimes to get tender meat in France if you do not order file or entrecote. I had a confit de canard that was one of the best I have had. It was stuffed with figs, very tender inside and crispy on the outside. The third person had a salad that did not had the same quality as the rest.

The restaurant has a small inside room and a large very nice covered outside space. Both places were almost full of guests when we were there.

WEB:
LATEST VISIT: 2013
NUMBER OF VISITS: 1   

CHÉZ SASKIA CLOSED

CHÉZ SASKIA - Place Auguste-Pierre Pont - 11000 Carcassonne
This restaurant does not exist any more, but the other two mentioned are still open,

Restaurant Chez Saskia is the winter home and across the street in Jardin de L’Evêque they serve the guests in the summer. Both restaurants are parts of Hôtel de la Cité, which is an extremely costly hotel in the center of the old castle of Carcassonne. In the hotel you find the Guide Michelin awarded restaurant La Barbacane, which we have never visited.
We really like Chez Saskia, a restaurant with a lot of atmosphere with their walls covered with photos of all film stars and royalties that have been dining there. Hôtel de la Cité is the place to stay if you are rich and famous and visit Carcassonne. As quite a lot of films have been shot in Carcassonne through the years there has never been lack of famous people among the guests. Sometimes they might like to relax a bit and Chez Saskia might be the right place to be more anomymous. If you want to enjoy this fantastic atmosphere without spending a fortune you should go to Chez Saskia.
Their food is excellent and not expensive. Their lunch menu including wine is not more expensive than in any other restaurant and their fantastic gourmet menu is also affordable. The service is friendly and professional.

WEB: http://www.hoteldelacite.com/
LATEST VISIT: 2011
NUMBER OF VISITS: 4

LE PARC

LE PARK - 110 Chemin des Anglais, 11000 Carcassonne
Guide Michelin

Le Parc is one of three restaurants in Carcassonne, which has a Michelin star. According to the guide is Franck Putelat aspirant on another star soon. He has already crowned his career with the prestigious Bocuse d'Or 2003.
The restaurant offers a delicious lunch menu based on local products, processed to perfection. The menu we had was mainly based on seafood as squid, sea snails, rock fish, mussels and tuna. Some of the dishes are a bit odd, but surprisingly tasty. One combine meat and fish or seafood in many dishes that is unusual, but very nice. The prices of the wines are reasonable for a restaurant of this class and you can buy wine by the glass and also in half bottles.

The restaurant is located at the foot of the ancient fortress of La Cite in Carcassonne, easily accessible. Like most restaurants, which attained a Michelin star, the food may not be described easily. we can however say that there is a difference between one star and three stars, but this restaurant could certainly live up to a higher ranking in the near future. For a restaurant of this class it is very reasonable with a lunch menu for 30 Euros as it was when we visited the place. That is for two for a little over 1oo Euros including wine and coffee and sweets are reasonable. The restaurant is beautifully decorated and the terrace where we sat is airy and pleasant. Service is relaxed and knowledgeable and there is no hint of snobbery on their part.

Revisited September 2018: Since last time we were here the restaurant has been rewarded one more Michelin star and they are really worth it. The food is excellent and the service very friendly. It is really amazing that one can eat such fantastic food in a restaurant of this quality for the reasonable prize of 110 euros per couple - including wine and coffee.

WEB: http://www.restaurantleparcfranckputelat.fr/index.php
LATEST VISIT: 2018
NUMBER OF VISITS: 2