L'Estivals

A genuine find amid the picturesque bustle of Montorgueil market, with its shops and stalls groaning with patisseries, cheese, veg, fruit and fish, L'Estivals is a slice of the South-west in the centre of the city. Check tablecloths, friendly service (all too often a rarity in touristy areas) and excellent regional wines are matched by food that leans heavily on the area's traditions. a salad of green beans comes with a drizzle of light vinaigrette and some slices of foie gras, a hearty bowl of cassoulet finds a perfect confit of duck perched atop a nest of white beans containing hidden treasures (sausage, salami, hunks of pork and so forth) in every scoop. other choices include fillets of red mullet arranged prettily around a rice mould and some 'petits legumes' or a heartier entrecote with a roquefort sauce. desserts include a very home made tarte tatin and a selection of well kept cheeses. my three-course meal for one came to 46 euros with half a litre of Gaillac, making it excellent value, especially in view of its location within walking distance of Les Halles and the grim fleshpots of Rue St Denis.