If you’re looking for a quality Southwestern cuisine that’s simple and unpretentious, La Tupina is for you. As long as you’re prepared to take out your wallet, and don’t be too demanding about service when the restaurant is full.

When I moved to Bordeaux in the late 90s, the first friends I made there recommended two restaurants: l’Entrecôte for the concept and La Tupina if I wanted local, hearty, quality cuisine. And in the 8 years I’ve been here, these two restaurants have had a special place in my life, the first as a weekly routine, the second for slightly more special occasions.

Since then, things have changed at La Tupina, and legendary chef Jean-Pierre Xiradakis has been replaced by Franck Audu, but that hasn’t deterred me from taking advantage of my stay in Bordeaux to return, once again with a touch of Proust’s Madeleine.

You’ll find all the articles about this Bordeaux getaway at the bottom of the page.

The concept of La Tupina

There’s no better way to describe the Tupina than this extract from a book dedicated to it, which appears at the beginning of the menu.

« “If you’re looking for glitz, glamour and glitter, don’t go there! ! The cuisine featured at La Tupina has been patiently polished over the years, between the vegetable garden and the fireplace. ».

Vincent Pousson La Cuisine de la Tupina, Milan Editions – 2004

What more is there to say? An immersion in authentic, local cuisine that makes the most of local produce.

In the 90’s and 2000’s, La Tupina collected awards: in the world’s 50 best restaurants in 2004 and 2005, best bistrot in France in 1998, but since then it has become more discreet. It was also a popular table for celebrities and politicians,

Has it lost some of its splendour? Lowered in quality? Or does it embody a style of cooking that critics believe has gone out of fashion?

Let’s find out.

The setting

The restaurant is located in a small street in the old part of Bordeaux, a little way from the city center, in the St Michel district for those who know it.

Inside, it’s like being in a town inn, with several rooms that resemble family dining rooms, a little rustic, some with beautiful old fireplaces.

The menu

More authentically south-western is not possible.

There’s no profusion of dishes or convoluted names, which is usually an excellent sign.

The dinner

I’m greeted when I arrive at the restaurant. The welcome isn’t cold but it’s not warm either. But I had the vague impression of being the monkey that the person who welcomed me quickly passed on to a colleague.

I’m seated at my table and wait.

Finally, they bring me the menu and an amuse bouche, which is a sort of head cheese, but which they don’t bother to present to me. I would have gladly taken an aperitif with it, but the waiter had turned on his heels first.

It’s delicious….but I’ve eaten half of it and I still haven’t been able to order an aperitif or water even though I’m very thirsty.

If a restaurant were to be judged on its first 10 minutes, I’d have run out the door already. Have you ever felt like you didn’t exist for the staff?

The couple sitting at the next table look at me with a smile. They’re in between courses and seem to find the time long, spending their time on their phones.

20 minutes later the waiter arrives… “What can I get you?”. Judging by the tone, he doesn’t seem very concerned. So I start by ordering an aperitif (a Lillet Royal)…and he immediately disappears without me being able to order the rest of my meal.

Phew ! The aperitif arrives in just a few minutes! I still have some nibbles and the bread is delicious.

I take this opportunity to order the continuation…

The waiter returns a few minutes later… “By the way, what’s your main course?”.

Actually, I don’t blame the waiter: he’s just underwater and totally exhausted. All the rooms are full, and we’re on the second shift – it’s Easter Monday. This doesn’t change the fact that so far it’s been between very average and bad, but there are extenuating circumstances that explain it all.

5G doesn’t work, even messages don’t work. I ask for the wifi code but it’s obviously out of order…

My starter finally arrives…but not the wine, which will arrive a little later…

Sanguette ( Pig’s blood pancake, Duck neck, Persillade).

It’s light but tasty and parsleyed…I love it.

For the main course I chose something authentic and hearty.

The “Macaronade fromLa Tupina”: Pasta, sour cream, porcini mushrooms, bacon and foie gras.

It’s served in a casserole dish and you’ll see that the quantities are copious given what’s left in the casserole after the first serving. There’s enough for at least four courses.

They’re not kidding: there are lots of porcini mushrooms and the foie gras pieces are huge.

A real treat, I won’t leave a crumb. But when it comes to diet, I’m on the verge of a red card….

Proof that the service problems weren’t linked to the waiter but to the number of customers, as the room empties the waiter becomes more smiling, attentive, chats and jokes willingly.

For dessert I’ll have a Colonel Gascon (lemon sorbet and Blanche d’Armagnac).

Fresh and perfect for conveying what has gone before.

I’ll finish with a coffee.

The atmosphere

Lively but moderately noisy.

The service

Really irrelevant at the beginning, very good at the end. The staff were overwhelmed by the number of customers, and things improved over time.

So I’m not blaming the staff, but rather the organization of the service. When you know you’re going to be full for every service, either plan for enough staff or organize the service protocol so that customers don’t feel they’ve been left on their own for the first twenty minutes after arriving.

Let’s also add that when a person eats alone, time passes much more slowly for them when they have to wait…

Bottom line

Apart from the start of the service, I found exactly what I was looking for: simple, authentic, hearty, quality food.

However, you may find the bill a little steep for what appear to be simple dishes. Not untrue, but let’s consider it’s because the quality of the ingredients.

In any case, the chef has remained as faithful as possible to his predecessor and to the DNA of the place, and that’s the main thing.

Articles on this Bordeaux getaway

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