This bistro has been part of the city walls for three decades. The formula is a straightforward one: honest Bordeaux, oysters, Serrano ham, lamprey, cod aïoli and homemade foie gras, perhaps followed by a Cuban cigar. "We serve up quality and simplicity eight days a week!" exclaims proprietor Michel Darroque. A few years ago, he and co-owners Catherine Edouard and Michel Lopez opened the neighboring Comptoir du Jazz, a live-music venue. Be sure to pop in after dinner for a digestif at the well-stocked zinc bar.

56 Quai de Paludate, 33000 Bordeaux. Tel. 33/5-56-49-15-55.

This dish is a variation on one of the most popular meals served at my school cafeteria when I was a kid. For a traditional parmentier, you start by browning some coarsely ground beef and minced onions in a saucepan. Then you take some good mashed potatoes and either stir them right in or, if you want to be a little fancier, layer them with the beef and onion mixture

Today, many restaurants offer parmentiers of various sorts on their menus. Parmentier de canard is a fairly sophisticated version, but it should remain true to its country origins. If you don’t have duck, you can use leftover chicken or whatever else is on hand. The most important thing is to use every last morsel of meat, sautéed with onions, shallots and a little garlic. After mixing in the mashed potatoes, sprinkle some cheese on top and pop the parmentier in the oven until it’s golden brown. Pure heaven….