It would be hard to find a trendier spot than this bistro perched on stilts on the right bank of the Garonne, just across from the Place de la Bourse. The choice of location was a stroke of genius; proprietor Jean-Marie Esposito set up business here in 1998, before everyone else started flocking to the area. While not overly ambitious, the short, simple menu is well executed and changes three times a year to make maximum use of what’s fresh at the market. Among the most recent offerings were prawn risotto with a parmesan and basil biscuit; grilled turbot with a shellfish cream mousse sauce; and grilled duck breast with garlic cream and cèpe-flavored macaroni. Still, L’Estaquade’s main draw is its ambiance and its magnificent view of the city, which can be enjoyed through the dining room’s big picture windows or from the huge patio. It’s a good idea to make reservations—the place is wildly popular, and its star shows no signs of fading anytime soon.

SOUPE PAYSANNE A BOIRE ET A MANGER
(HEARTY COUNTRY SOUP)

The cornerstone of the rural diet, soup contains everything a person needs to stay strong and healthy: water, salt, vegetables, meat and a little fat. At the table, you can toss in some thinly sliced day-old bread. Then, for the ultimate treat, when there are only a few mouthfuls of broth left in your bowl, pour in a good "rasade"(dose) of red wine. We even have an expression for that: faire chabrot.

To make a good soup, you need a big pot so the vegetables—carrots, leeks, turnips, cabbage, beans—have lots of room to move about; a small bouquet garni; a few cloves of garlic and a nice ham bone, pig’s knuckle, confit de canard or whatever else suits your fancy, so long as there’s enough of it!

And don’t forget, to make a good soup, you need lots of love….