"I’m in two minds about reviewing Le Bareil. I loved the meal I had there and would hate to see it becoming so popular, I couldn’t get in next time I happen to be passing through Aquitaine, which may be not be for many years. But Le Bareil is not the kind of restaurant you could go for a quick snack unaccompanied, it is a place to linger in a group with old friends or family, so I really ought to share my experience...The first thing to understand about Le Bareil is that fancy it ain’t. The second, is that you should set aside a day to eat there as you’ll need to be seated at the latest by 12.30 and are unlikely to leave before 4pm, by which time you’ll feel in need of a bed to sleep off the excess.Le Bareil is an old-school, unreconstructed, lunch-only, restaurant set in a French farmhouse and farmyard, which serves simple, local, rough and ready fare. Tables must be booked in advance; there are two, fairly similar, daily changing, set menus at around the 25 Euro mark, inclusive of aperitifs and suitably young bottomless red wine. On the day we visited our lunch consisted of six courses proceeded by a fruity aperitif. We started with a cabbage soup, which was followed by a rough country pate; a rich goose gizzard salad; duck in a cream sauce with dauphinoise potatoes; an excellent cheeseboard and a selection of desserts. The food was robust, home-style, country-cooking – strong flavours in over-sized portions. The setting and friendly, laid back atmosphere made us feel as though we were the guests of old friends, rather than paying customers - we didn't leave until late afternoon. We felt as though no-one would have minded if we stayed until nightfall. If you’re in the Dordogne, set aside a day to go Le Bareil and another one to recover from the experience. Just don’t tell anyone about it or I won’t be able to get in next time I am there."
