Le caboulot de la sérendipité — Restaurant in Nîmes

We had a brief stop in Nimes as our original train was cancelled and we had some time before the next one. We were lucky to walk into this restaurant and get a spot for lunch. Lucky doesn't even describe it when I reflect back on this experience. We ordered a pre-set lunch menu. The grilled/baked eggplant for the starter was amazing. It was flavored to perfection and so well balanced. We were pleasantly surprised by the Buddha bowl as those can be hit or miss. This bowl had a perfect ratio of veggies vs rice and veggies were beautifully highlighted by the species. The yogurt ice cream for dessert with local peaches was a perfect finisher for lunch on a hot day. My friend had a melon smoothie and we both found the smoothie to be perfectly spiced by ginger. Bravo to the chef for making that meal . And kudos to the rest of the team as service was excellent. All of this, combined with the beautiful interior, made this lunch a truly...

We were lucky enough to stumble upon this cosy gem while seeking shelter from the rain during a day trip to Nimes.

The (all-vegetarian) menu changes on a daily basis with an emphasis on seasonal, local produce. The offering on the day of our visit was excellent: the shaved fennel salad to start that was wonderfully light on the tongue; the daal, buckwheat and aubergine main was a great counter to the stormy weather; and the warm biscuity crumble on parfait was just the right amount of sweet (the hint of rosemary was an excellent addition). On top of that, the service and atmosphere were just as good as the food - the waiter genuinely seemed almost as delighted to have us as we were to be there. And to round things off the whole thing came to a little over 50€ for three people having three courses. Incredible.

If you have the chance to visit, whether you're a vegetarian or not, I would...

We found Le Caboulot on the internet. On arrival in Nimes we went directly to locate the resto and to check if they would accept our dogs. It was closed but by serendipity we met a young man heading there with arms laden with fresh bread, cheese and vegetables. We asked and he confirmed that he was from the resto. He told us our dogs would be welcome and so we booked. We started with egg cocotte in a rich cheese and scallion sauce. Main was bulgar in a gorgozola sauce with a mixed salad. Both dishes were estupendo. The dessert of apple puree with a biscuit crumble was okay. The wine and the beer that accompanied were delicious. The atmosphere in the resto was calm and friendly. The service was charming . What was not to like? If I lived in Nimes, I would for sure be a weekly regular at Le caboulot de la sérendipité. We recommend this delightful eatery...