LA TABLE DE LIONEL GIRAUD

Wonderful tasting menu and experience with lots of variation including some beautiful vegetable courses with real depth of flavour. The wine pairing also accompanied the food perfectly with many local wines. The service was excellent and attentive without being overbearing, with many of the staff speaking perfect English. We thought the location was a bit strange initially on the edge of town but the building contained a large modern dining room with a good atmosphere when the restaurant fills up. Highly recommended!

Comment se faire comprendre virtuellement ? La Table de Lionel GIRAUD, c’est une ambiance qui nous enveloppe. Ce sont des saveurs dont l’originalité et la subtilité dépassent tout ce que nous avions connu dans les deux et Trois étoiles.
Ça ne se décrit pas, ça s’expérimente !
Simplement chez Lionel GIRAUD à Narbonne, ville romaine à la croisée de tous les chemins de l’Occitanie N/S & W/E près de tous les axes routiers: c’est à dire accès facile !

Après de nombreuses années de vacances dans la région narbonnaise,c'était une première expérience, hier soir, à la Table de Lionel Giraud.
Mais pourquoi avoir attendu si longtemps?Je me le demande encore...
Le cadre et l'accueil nous ont plu d'emblée. Tout au long du service,parfaitement orchestré,le maître d'hôtel,la jeune sommelière et leur charmante équipe,tout en étant irréprochables,ont su installer un lien personnalisé avec leurs clients.
La"Grande Balade en Occitanie"et son accord mets et vins nous ont fait voyager de surprise en surprise et obligés à varier notre vocabulaire pour éviter le redondant "délicieux".S'il fallait ajouter un dièse à certains plats, je citerais "le cèpe et son praliné noisette","le thon rouge ikejime et "le retour de criée et son riz soccarate".
La petite conversation en cuisine avec le chef,à la fin du repas,ajouta un supplément d'âme très chaleureux.
Bravo à Lionel Giraud et toute son équipe pour cette belle soirée !
Et n'attendez pas aussi longtemps que moi pour y retenir une table...Vous ne serez pas déçus!

We had the pleasure to dine at La Table Saint Crescent in September 2023.

We are both avid diners and have been to many of the World's greatest restaurants, therefore my review takes past experiences in similarly rated French/Modern Cuisine restaurants (Michelin 2** and above).

The overall experience was very positive.

Pros and Cons :
_Food_
+*Presentation of the dishes was noteworthy, well arranged in a harmonious way. Delicate and inviting.
+* Quality of the foods was to the highest standards. Local yet adventurous Combinations kept it interesting.
+*An extra point for the map with the regions and explanations on the menu which made it clear and the whole experience more immersive into French local culture and cuisine !

- The cheeses were disappointing, very small selection was made and contained a few that we asked not to have at the beginning of the meal. Of course, we tried them ! But to no avail... It lacked in quantity and diversity but not quality.

- The desserts, despite being very delicious and delicate, we feel paled in comparison to the dishes. They were too simple and sometimes sadly quite dry. It could do with more decoration so to speak, preferably the edible kind. A big downrank for us on this.

_Service_
+*Pace of service was impeccable. Timely, not rushed, not too slow. Very good. We suspect this is done with aid from cameras or very very attentive staff.
+*Friendly yet professional. A more relaxed approach than some places that can seem "up-nose" none of that here !

- The cutlery is not changed at each serving, this goes only for the main "steak" knife used (which is a beautiful Laguiole) but we found this strange. If we leave the knife on the plate, we desire a new one.

_Atmosphere_
+*Nice decor, fresh despite the high temperatures outside. The ceilings are very high and spacious. Clean, balanced and open.

- Maybe a bit simple for some if you are into lavish decor for a date or such. For us, we care not and are all about the food and service.

Please keep in mind this review is fairly harsh as it takes into account previous experiences and we compare this to other 2** Michelin and above only.

This restaurant, I am confident, far outshines any other in the region.

Un peu cher