In the heart of Le Cite in Carcassonne, there is a plaza filled with restaurants catering to mostly tourists, due to the small population that actually lives in this medieval walled city. La Table Ronde is on a side street leading to that plaza. The fare is classic French and many of the dishes are recognizable to anyone who likes hearty, rustic French food. Cassoulet was not offered the night we were there, but judging by the photo on their menu, they make an excellent version. It's on our list to try the next time we happen to be in the south west of France.
The fish soup was very rich and as well prepared as I have ever eaten it in French towns along the coastline. The rouille spread over little toasted baguette slices was sublimely garlic laden, and better than commercial products I have purchased, so I surmise it was house made. Grated cheese topped the toasts. Even though my Italian grandfather would turn over in his grave if he knew I was eating seafood with cheese, this was a wonderful soup, a spot on, classic recipe packed with flavor, and a perfect choice for the cold weather we were experiencing. Unfortunately, the lasagna was disappointing. The tomato sauce was not cooked well; it lacked any nuance or character of it's own. For some reason, and I suspect it had to do with the time we sat down, we were only offered choices from their lightest menu.
We had much better luck with the Toulouse sausage and fried potatoes. A simple, rustic dish that was well done and very inexpensive. I think the entire meal was 24 euro for two people and that included dessert. If you look at the website link, you will see that they offer four fixed price selections. That reason alone makes me feel they cater almost exclusively to tourists.
About those desserts, again they were French classics. We ordered the apricot tart with a nice Creme Anglaise sauce, and the chocolate mousse. Both were sweet, creamy and a nice finish to this meal.
La Table Ronde Menu
30 Rue Plo
11000 Carcassonne, France
04 68 47 38 21
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