the essential
Thomas Fantini’s Maison Pergo group has just opened two Bouillons in Toulouse, at the Hippodrome de la Cépière and at the Orangerie de Labège. This concept offers traditional French bistro dishes, with local products and at affordable prices. We tested it for you.
Since Monday January 20, two of the restaurants of Maison Pergo, the group led by Thomas Fantini, have been transformed into Bouillons Toulouse. The Panoramique de l’Hippodrome de la Cépière, in Toulouse, and Bistrot & company, at the Orangerie de Labège, have kept the same decor but they have completely revised their menu as well as their visual identity: waiters’ outfits, tableware, etc. . They now embody this new concept which aims to put the spotlight on bistro dishes, based on local products, and at prices accessible to all.
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We went to lunch at Bouillon de la Cépière. From the first glance at the menu, we see ultra-attractive prices. Here, no menus, but a list of appetizers, dishes, which may or may not be accompanied by a garnish of your choice, and desserts, to which we add €1 to drink coffee as a bonus. We like the idea.
From €3.50 for butternut soup or hard-boiled eggs with mayo, to €9 for smoked trout, including Burgundy snails or the bouquet of mayo shrimp, that’s it for starters. Simple and effective. We tasted the leek vinaigrette, straight from Tarn-et-Garonne, and the onion gratinée, they are delicious and very spicy, like lunch at Grandma’s on Sunday. The chestnut country terrine also keeps its promises.
-“It’s rare to see chefs lower their prices”
Thomas Fantini developed this project for seven months, with his teams, to rework the entire production chain, at the scale of his group. “We tried to keep our DNA: regional products and seasonality. We found solutions, with our producers, to find the right balance, it took time, he explains. We asked ourselves how continue to bring people to restaurants while responding to current difficulties? It’s rare to see chefs lowering their prices at the moment…”
We continue with a perfectly cooked mashed sausage full of good juice, from Table de Solange, in Aveyron. Beef bourguignon with bacon and shells also has the good taste of family meals. Favorite for the Dauphiné ravioli au gratin, with their leek fondue. They sit alongside, on the menu, fried chicken thighs and duck confit from Samaran or even black pudding with roasted apples. Allow from €11 to €16 for these dishes, served generously.
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To conclude, we opt for comforting and slightly regressive sweets: chantilly cabbage, lost brioche, rice pudding with salted butter caramel or even Alsatian cream (from €3 to €5.50). On the slate, more elaborate suggestions will appear soon. The Toulouse Bouillons have already been fully booked since the start of the week. Open from Monday to Friday, they will undoubtedly extend their opening hours to the weekend at a later stage. This Bouillons menu can also be discovered at the Pergo de Lardenne at lunchtime. If the concept finds its audience, Thomas Fantini does not rule out developing it at other addresses.
