Dinner at Au Lapin Qui Fume, Tours

This evening I found myself in a rather unusual bistro for dinner, just a few doors down the road from Le Turon. Its name 'The Smoking Rabbit' had caught my attention previously and I thought I'd finally give it a shot. As the bistro's name suggests, it specialises in rabbit cuisine, a somewhat acquired taste for foreigners but particularly popular in French-speaking parts of the world. Of course, they do serve the usual fishes and meats as well, but I was after something different tonight. I've had excellent rabbit stew and confit in Belgium and other parts of France, and was eager to relive those culinary experiences.

When I arrived it was absolutely packed with locals and domestic tourists - not bad for an ordinary weeknight, and always a sure sign that the food's good. I was probably the only foreigner there, and fortunately the warm and efficient lady who received me managed to squeeze me into a table at the back. Reservations (especially for dinner) would probably be a good idea.

Rustic-looking water jug with a grapevine design

I went for a 3-course menu at €29, with a good number of options under each course. Obviously, as I was after the full rabbit experience, this lovely gamey meat would be the focus of both my starter and main.

To begin the meal I had toast with an extremely generous and chunky black olive tapenade spread. The olives' briny juiciness, coupled with the fresh bitterness of olive oil in the mix, was absolutely stimulating to the palate and an effective kickstarter to the lovely meal ahead.

Starter: homemade rabbit terrine with onion jam.

Served chilled, these terrine slices were surprisingly lean but moist, succulent and very well-seasoned. The rabbit's robust gamey flavour was aptly enhanced by a deep smoky edge from curing with salt and various herbs and spices. To make each bite even tastier and more aromatic, a side of chunky onion jam was provided for additional bite as well as to match the full-bodied flavour of the terrine with its sweet pungence. What a simple, homely and delightful starter this was.

Main: rabbit tajine with olives and confit lemon, on a bed of couscous.

With this dish we moved straight from the home kitchens of France into Morocco, where the national dish tajine consists of healthy slow-cooked stews using various meats and fishes together with vegetables and fruits, served in earthenware pots. The sauces for these stews are often quite tangy and heavily spiced. Here, the rabbit meat had become very tender and succulent from the long hours of cooking, and its rich gamey flavour was aptly balanced by the tart chunks of lemon confit and sharp briny olives. In fact, I found the accompaniments almost too astringent on the whole, but fortunately the robust meat held its own pretty well. The surrounding broth, made from rabbit stock with tomato, paprika, parsley, ras-el-hanout (Moroccan ground spice mix) and olive oil, was crisp, tasty and full of warm and sweet aromas. The couscous at the bottom filled out the dish nicely without adding too much weight. Not sure if this tajine could be considered authentic, but it was pretty wholesome and satisfying.

Dessert: Café Gourmand (espresso with a selection of 6 mignardises).

Instead of going for the more fancy-sounding individual plated desserts, I decided to go with my waitress' recommendation and do what a local person might prefer: a small but really strong espresso, with a selection of traditional French confectioneries and seasonal bites. On this impressive platter were (in anticlockwise order) pistachio macaron, apricot roasted with rosemary, vanilla ice-cream with a chocolate feuilletine, dark chocolate brownie, cannelé and meringue. Everything on this stone slab was good. Particular standouts included the juicy roasted apricot, which just like at Le Turon, had a concentrated sweetness from caramelisation, lovely fresh aromas from the rosemary infusion, and a pleasant crunch and deep nutty edge from chopped roasted pistachios. The pistachio macaron was also a delight for its authentic flavour and mastery of textures, from the airy and crisp outer biscuits to the thick and smooth layer of cream that lay between. Finally, the dark chocolate brownie was extremely rich, moist and intense in flavour.

The very robust and bitter espresso packed a real punch amidst the multitude of sweet and potentially cloying morsels, and left one's palate and mind incredibly stimulated even after a rather heavy meal. No worries with food coma here; on the contrary, I left the restaurant feeling invigorated and quite certain that I would revisit if I ever had the chance to. What's not to love about unpretentious places like these with a convivial and welcoming environment, warm and efficient service, and perhaps most importantly, good solid food that won't burn a hole in your pocket?