Toulouse is a large city with countless restaurants. The choice is enormous, and finding the right place can be stressful (speaking for myself, at least…). Don’t worry, I’ve found a truly charming spot in the heart of the city centre. Oh La Vache is one of those restaurants where everything falls into place, and you immediately feel at home. You’ll find this charming little restaurant near the covered Victor Hugo market. The simple menu certainly helps, presenting some classics that never fail- especially when using high-quality ingredients like this is the case.
Knick-Knacks and Trinkets
Being in Toulouse with Middlest for an open day, I wanted to make it a fun outing. After a morning of serious school stuff, we headed into town to grab some lunch. I had a few places on my wish list, but unfortunately, they were either full or closed. Just as we were about to get properly hangry, we spotted Oh La Vache, right by the Victor Hugo market. Although we didn’t have a reservation, the staff greeted us cheerfully and asked us to wait a bit for a table. That gave me a chance to take in the lovely interior. There are plenty of knick-knacks and trinkets, but somehow it doesn’t feel cluttered at all. Instead, it’s cosy and welcoming, just the way I like it.
Perfect French Feeling
Step inside and you’re whisked straight back to France in the last century. As my son so beautifully put it: “If I didn’t live in France, this would be exactly the restaurant to give me that perfect French feeling.” Oh la vache is a French expression, equivalent to the English Holy Cow! It doesn’t mean they only serve beef, though. Still, I wouldn’t send any vegetarians here, as most of the mains are meat-based. The food is classic French bistro fare, with a simple menu: two starters, about seven mains, and about seven desserts. Middlest and I, of course, started with an entrée. With only two to choose from, it was an easy decision. My son, being raised in France, isn’t fazed by gizzards, so he went for the ‘salade de gésiers’. I chose the baby lettuce with mayonnaise, topped with a generous sprinkle of egg and croutons.
Gratin Dauphinois
The salads whetted our appetite, so on to the next course. Middlest fancied a good entrecôte, ‘saignant’ (rare), of course, like a true Frenchman. I preferred fish and chose the ‘saumon en papillote’, a salmon wrapped in aluminium foil and served with a leek sauce. The waitress asked if I wanted chips or gratin dauphinois, or both. The latter, of course! And that was the perfect choice, because the oven-baked potato slices au gratin were particularly delicious. Both our portions were more than enough, but there was still just enough room left for a small dessert. Middlest chose a tiramisu, and I went for a mousse aux noisettes. Both of which were presented in a glass and were just enough to call this day a success. Now, Middlest just has to be admitted to the school of his choice. You can guess where we’ll be celebrating if he succeeds!
