Caen's town centre offers two major areas for eating : with cosmopolitan restaurants in the pedestrianized quartier Vaugueux and more traditional French restaurants on the streets off rue de Geôle , near the western ramparts, particularly rue des Croisiers and rue Gémare.
L'Alcide
, 1 place Courtonne (tel 02.31.44.18.06). Anonymous-looking
bistro-style place that serves classic French dishes cooked with great
attention to detail. Menus from €12.50 up to €20.58. Closed Sat.
Le Boeuf Ferré
, 10 rue des Croisiers (tel 02.31.85.36.40). Gourmet restaurant, with
stone walls and timbered ceiling, serving rich and substantial meals;
foie gras is the house speciality, as featured on the no-choice €20.58
menu, and there's always plenty of duck and red meat. Midday
menu €11.43, dinners from €14.48. Closed Mon & Sun evening, plus
the first fortnight in March and the second fortnight in July.
L'Insolité
, 16 rue du Vaugueux (tel 02.31.43.87.87). Attractive half-timbered
restaurant with terrace and indoor seating. A €9.91 vegetarian menu
offers a " symphonie des crudités ", but the main emphasis is on seafood, with a €14.48 menu that features a trio of steamed fish, and a knock-out €38.11 Prestige menu. Closed Sun evening, plus Mon in low season.
Maître Corbeau
, 8 rue Bouquet (tel 02.31.93.93.00). Fondue is the speciality in this
eccentric little place, and they won't let you forget it, festooning
the whole place with cheesy iconography. A typical fondue costs around
€12.20, while set menus start from €14.03. Closed Sat lunch, Sun &
first 3 weeks of Aug.
La Petite Auberge
, 17 rue des Équipes-d'Urgence (tel 02.31.86.43.30). Plain and simple
restaurant, with a nice view of the St-Jean church, serving very
good-value Norman specialities - including a daily €10.37 menu that
doesn't force you to eat tripe. Closed Sun evening, Mon & first 3
weeks of Aug.
Les Quatres Épices
, 25 rue Porte-au-Berger (tel 02.31.93.40.41). Lively West African
restaurant, just off rue du Vaugueux. Everything is à la carte - prawns
with sweet potato for €14.48, grilled fish with ginger for €11.59, plus
plantains and meat galore - and African music plays non-stop.
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