L'Echauguette - Giroussens

Living locally we’d heard great things and we were not disappointed... value for money, attentive (and amusing) staff and above all delicious, copious food. Would recommend...

I was attracted by the restaurant location: On top of a hill over the Agout river canyon... But about the various food critics I read. So here we go and let's try it. I took the opportunity of a common birthday celebration with a friend...of mine to test it and I booked over the phone for the D Day and ordered a Birthday cake. On this D Day, I phoned again and confirmed that we were coming within hour and that if the weather is fine, I said we'd like to have this lunch on the terrace overlooking the Agout river Canyon... Once on site, our booking was not recorded, the terrace was available and no table set up, but the ladies preferred after all to stay inside because of some disturbing and chilly wind.. Inside the main room was full and noisy, but clean and decoration up to date. So we decided to go into the second room as proposed by the waiter). We did but the room was dull and empty although the windows Faded , uncleaned and decrepit was overlooking the canyon. The wine list was missing white wines form local producers and the food was average except for the remarkable freshness and quality of the local lamb meat... At the end, the Chef came and met us to apologise about the misses, and offered us a kind of a copy of birthday cake, visibly prepared at the last minute. That was nice from him but his well willing came as we have already ordered our deserts and eating them..! To summarise, this little and charming place (particularly the outside ancient bricks walls and turret) is a typical Occitan village traditional eating place for the locals wanting to enjoy a nice and longing lunch with a spectacular viewpoint. The personnel, visibly not professionals, were trying to do their best but... The wine list runs out of stock and missing some good local produces in white (Gaillac) and red: (Fronton and Tarn/ Gaillac vines) The food is fresh, and well set up but the menu choices very limited . The location and sightseeing, is remarkable. Normally I would have put an :Average marking for this place. But the Chef visibly did his best and seemed to strive x days a week to get the best of his place. The food quality is perfect. So I want to be gracious, leaning and encouraging because his place should worth much more if more menus and wines choices with local produces, professional waiters and a better equiped terrace with glass wind screens for instance. We paid pp.(Wines excluded) But would have been ready to pay pp without all above misses and better local wines list. I recommend to have a lunch there to encourage the chef but also for some special dinner occasions with a local band or singer ... But also to benefitiate of wonderfull and spectacular viewpoints while enjoiying good food. I recommend after lunch to go and walk in the nearby and superbly set Les Jardins des Martels This is a cute and large flowers and specifically arranged garden with lots of bushes, flowers and water ponds and falls...

We discovered this restaurant on a visit to Jardins des Martels' and enjoyed a lovely lunch there. I enjoyed a superb vegetable tart made with filo pastry, followed by chicken supreme which was equally delicious. My husband enjoyed the traditional French pate to start and...we both devoured the chocolate mousse, very rich but exquisite. The staff were friendly although service was a little slow. We sat outside and enjoyed the view in perfect sunshine. Worth a visit if in the area.

This is one of the best restaurants we have experienced in this region. The food is fresh, creative and very good. The atmosphere is a beautiful view of the river valley. We will definitely return.

Un moment sympathiqueAccueil chaleureuxLa cuisine est simple mais bonne Le cadre très agréableUn restaurant que je recommande après ou avant l'avidité des jardins des Martels