Restaurant le Cochon Bleu — Restaurant in Avignon

We had a wonderful experience at the le Cochon Bleu last evening. If you are looking for a local (not touristy) restaurant, with great food and friendly staff, you cannot go wrong with this place. But note, reservations are necessary. We saw a few couples turned down at the door as the place was fully booked.

Our table of 6 tried a variety of appetizers -- smoked herring, the Assiette Cochon Bleu (duck pate), the Escargot, and the Ravioli Gratins. All were expertly prepared and delicious. From the main dishes, the Quenelle (using pike fish) was a pleasant surprise, and so was the pork cheeks. For the desserts, we tried the Rum baba, the profiterol, Max's Delight, and the Pear sorbet. We found the brandy in the pear sorbet slightly overbearing, but the rest were excellent, particularly the profiterol. The service was pleasant and efficient. And the resident dog, Simon, was a pleasant distraction to have at the restaurant.

All of us enjoyed the evening immensely and would happily...

We originally ordered one less dish due to our smaller appetite, but the owner immediately and clearly explained the additional charge and the reason behind it when we were placing our order. This made us feel that he is an honest and trustworthy person, and we really appreciated how transparent and professional he was.

As for the food, everything was beautifully prepared and delicious — this restaurant was recommended by locals, and it truly lived up to expectations! The dessert was absolutely amazing!

There was also a younger staff member who was very sincere, attentive, and always had a warm smile. When we were leaving after settling the bill, he came to say goodbye, which made us feel incredibly welcomed and comforted, especially as travelers in a foreign country.

Thank you all for such a...

Fantastically fabulous French food! (gotta love a good alliteration) Small menu, always a good sign - I'm a firm believer in "do just a few things, but do them well". And indeed, everything was top quality and exquisitely well cooked. I had escargots for starters, which must have been the largest escargots I've ever had and were deliciously buttery and garlic-y, then I had a duck steak which was incredibly tender and juicy, with a side of potatoes and veg with an interesting lemony sauce. Followed by some creme brulee with raspberry sorbet, light and refreshing. All washed down with some good quality rose wine. Decor is pretty quirky, too! Highly recommend this place if you're in the market for a relaxed evening with good food, away from the...