Boé: Imagine

I first discovered the cooking of Fabrice Biasiolo, one of the best young chefs in southwestern France, during a visit to the delightful little town of Astaffort, just outside of Agen, while working on an article about cassoulet. After six cassoulets in three days, I was quite ready for something different and Biasiolo more than delivered at his restaurant Une Auberge en Gascogne. Now he’s opened a new place called Imagine, in Boé, a few miles north of Agen, on the edge of a very pretty lake. The chef is Angélique Mrozicki, Biasiolo’s former second at the main restaurant, and the menu is focused on seafood. On an Indian summer night, at a table on the wonderful terrace here, her take on minestrone was deeply flavored, delicious and garnished with plump shrimp. The daurade (sea bream) cooked en papillote with ginger, lemon and lemongrass was terrific, as was the risotto with razor shell clams and a watercress jus. Almost midway between Bordeaux and Toulouse, it’s a terrific address for anyone who may want to duck ubiquitous traditional duck dishes for a change while traveling in southwest France.

Pont Bourbonnais, Boé, 05.53.68.58.16. Fixed-priced menu €26; à la carte €40.

Prices are per person, without wine.

Originally published in the October 2010 issue of France Today

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