Bistro Urbain in Montpellier Showcases Local Ingredients
And introduces me to a 'Trou Occitan'
You could describe Bistro Urbain’s cuisine as gastronomic without froufrou, and Chef Cédric Sangenito and his team are passionate about locavore cuisine. The result is carefully crafted dishes coming out of the kitchen of this lovely restaurant in the historic centre of Montpellier. And as a visitor, I love having a pretty plate, but knowing that what I eat comes from local producers makes it even better.
Romantic Tête-à-Tête
Spending a long weekend in Montpellier with Chéri and the twins meant that our dining preferences weren’t exactly aligned. The teens wanted a burger, whereas I longed for a fancy dinner with Chéri. No need for candle light, but I imagined a romantic tête-à-tête in a restaurant that I had been following for a long time. After the twins’ hamburger feast, Chéri and I walked through the charming streets of the lively Saint-Roch neighbourhood. It has many restaurants and bars, which we all skipped as we headed to Bistro Urbain. You might think I dine weekly at the fanciest restaurants, but it’s actually been a while since Chéri and I had to put proper napkins on our laps. On warmer evenings, it’s lovely to sit outside. This time, we opted for a table indoors, surrounded by a warm, sophisticated interior.
Entire Menu
A restaurant like Bistro Urbain achieves perfection down to the very last detail, as reflected in its menu options. In the evening, you can choose from three set menus. The Oreste Menu (40 euros) consists of a starter, a main course, and a dessert. The Echo Menu (47 euros) adds an amuse-bouche, a ‘Trou Occitan’ (more on that later), and a sweet finish. And finally, the Pandore Menu (57 euros) includes a second main course. Chéri and I opted for the happy medium and decided to include the accompanying wine pairing (three glasses for 27 euros). Since there were two options for each course, we ordered the entire menu. Quite outrageous by our standards! The evening began with an amuse-bouche (a mini taco with blue crab and miso mayonnaise), followed by homemade tortellini for Chéri and a tuna tartare for me.
Trou Occitan
With our taste buds tingling, we moved on to a magret de canard (Chéri) and a piece of swordfish (moi), both served with deliciously prepared spring vegetables. Then came a pause: an Occitan take on the ‘Trou Normand’. This Normandy culinary tradition designed to cleanse the palate includes a small glass of Calvados and apple sorbet. Bistro Urbain’s interpretation featured ‘La Croqueuse’, a locally brewed, peppy apple liquor. After this break, Chéri’s love for lemons led him to choose the crèmeux de citron, leaving me the ‘baba au rhum’. Now, normally I’m not a big fan of this spongy cake drenched in rum. But I loved it and completely understood why this emblematic dessert is a keeper on the menu. Chéri and I were glad to have swapped burgers for this fine-dining experience. Bistro Urbain has definitely moved from my wish list to my favourites.
Good to Know
Bistro Urbain is a gastronomic restaurant run by Chef Cédric Sangenito and his team. They offer several set menus during lunch (Wednesdays to Saturdays) and dinner (Tuesdays to Saturdays, in summer also on Mondays). Making a reservation online through their website is a breeze.
Parking
The nearest paid parking options are Parking TaM Gambetta or Parking TaM Comédie.
Bistro Urbain
5 Rue Alexandre Cabanel
34000 Montpellier
+33 (0)6 60 94 96 16