Visit La Garrigue, arguably the most authentic French restaurant in town and be transported into the Languedoc region of France. Enjoy the food, sample the 'Terroir wines' and the warm service. Winner 'Les Routiers Guide; Scottish restaurant of the year'.

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• What are these?

• Average price 2 courses:
   £N (set lunch)
   £20 (evening meal)
• House wine: £12.90 per bottle

• Hitlisted
• High point: No fuss – just great tasting, well thought-out food
• Low point: Tendency to be noisy when busy
• Food served: Tue–Sat noon–2.30pm, 6–10pm.
• Open since: 2005
• Also offers: Vegetarian options (at least 25% of main courses), Children's portions, Children's high chairs

This review appears in the The List's Eating & Drinking Guide 2008
– in the shops now or buy online.

Both restaurants share the same name, have interchangeable chefs and waiting staff and almost identical menus of gusty, well-flavoured French, no-fuss food with a Scottish twist, but offer quite different atmospheres. The Old Town café is a charming arched restaurant with white walls and very low yellow ceilings – there is no shortage of warning signs – making for an intimate atmosphere. The New Town version is a one small room. Hang your coats on the stand when you come in, sit down and enjoy the intense dining experience, where music can't compete above animated voices in this small nine-table restaurant. The handwritten lunch and dinner menu changes daily. The meltingly soft North Atlantic king scallops are well-matched with robust chunks of boudin noir and pancetta with a rosemary vinaigrette. Asparagus spears suit their smoked venison wrap with mustard dressing. Scottish rib eye steak is served with a good dollop of grated fresh horseradish and crème fraîche. Baked sea bass straddles the plate and the soft white flesh needs no better accompaniment than the thick green pool of herb dressing. Puds are not waistline-friendly; honey and vanilla cheesecake is a house speciality with subtle nuances of sweetness, and close contenders are creamy panacotta with a sharp dark fruit coulis and a zesty key lime pie. Both branches are great spots for a regular lunch or dinner.