Specialising in dishes from the Languedoc area, La Garrigue serves hearty French dishes in Edinburgh’s Old Town. It launched in 2001 under the control of the chef patron Jean-Michel Gauffre and the cooking reflects the cuisine of south west France where he grew up. La Garrigue is a comfortably rustic space which benefits from Tim Steadman’s trademark chunky furniture and, depending on which piece of it you are sitting on, rather fine views across to Calton Hill.
Edinburgh is not short of French restaurants but La Garrigue separates itself from the majority of them by Monsieur Gauffre’s dedication to regional specialities. That’s not to say that there will never be a steak frites or coq au vin on the menu at La Garrigue but you are more likely to see rabbit confit with leeks, hazelnuts and a mustard dressing. The menu changes according to the seasons so, writing in February, warming dishes of venison with pickled walnuts and parsnip puree feature heavily. As the days become lighter so do the dishes on offer. A few constants remain throughout the year. The cassoulet is always popular. The classic Castelnaudary version, it is packed with pork, lamb, duck confit, Toulouse sausage and lingot beans. If you want French country cooking in Edinburgh then La Garrigue will hit the spot.