Unmissable address in Toulouse, this restaurant in the city center is undergoing a metamorphosis
Through Margaux Thokagevistk
Published on
Unmissable address of Toulouse (Haute Garonne), The Cendrée reopened on 28 July 2021 after nine months of closure for works.
It is in a narrow street, a stone’s throw from the Place d’Esquirol, that this restaurant welcomes customers since 1991 in an old medieval house rehabilitated by Yves franjau, father of the current owner.
He was working at the time as a mason in the construction industry and one day he decided to buy this building, then hit by a peril decree. Transformed into a nightclub, the place was first the privileged repairer of Toulouse youth in the early 80s. Disco fans may remember it. The idea of creating a restaurant upstairs took place a few years later, when he stopped working as a mason. “
Nightclub, restaurant and now delicatessen
Died in 1998, it is finally his son Sebastian who took over the reins of the establishment in 2001 to “Perpetuate the family heritage”.
20 years have passed and La Cendrée has become a real institution for lovers of traditional kitchen and South-West specialties. Taking advantage of the months of closures created by the Covid-19 crisis, Sébastien and his wife Céline have decided to reinvent the places with the creation of a new space: a hybrid place with a restaurant on one side and a grocery store on the other. Cost of the work: 100,000 €.
We had the project to open another business and then Celine had the idea of transforming part of the restaurant into a grocery store. If there is still only one entry, the two spaces are quite distinct so as not to lose the customer. I carried out part of the work myself with the help of several employees, under the supervision of an architect. The goal was really to modernize the place. To be up to date with what is being done in terms of atmosphere and decoration. “
Goal ? Modernize the premises
And the bet seems successful. The first feedback from regulars and new customers is positive.
Everyone tells us that the place has gained in brightness and also in visibility with the new storefront. For the grocery store, we went for a Scandinavian style with a very refined line of furniture. For the restaurant, we have kept the DNA of La Cendrée, that is to say the large 16th century fireplace surmounted by a coat of arms of the city of Toulouse where we cook our meat and fish, the ceilings in the French style and also the brick walls. We simply stripped the woodwork and created formwork to insert the new lighting. “
The changes are also invited in the plate. To avoid possible supply problems – a reality highlighted during this pandemic – and also limit their carbon footprint, Sébastien and Céline Franjau have decided to give preference to organic and local products as much as possible.
Good and original products
Regarding the style of cooking, “we have chosen to keep our identity with genuine, authentic cuisine, which has given pride of place to French and Southwestern products”.
On the price side, count on average € 10 for a starter (duck breast tataki, poached organic egg and Iberian ham espuma…), € 20 for a main course (Charolais sirloin, homemade cassoulet, cuttlefish from the Bay of Biscay…) ) and € 8 for a dessert (tarte tatin, French toast…). At noon, an affordable formula at € 18 is offered.
In the first room, the new delicatessen space found for sale a selection of original and explosive products like edible pearls, the new brand of French alcohol-free spirits JNPR (pronounced “juniper”), or even seasoning pencils to sharpen !
“The goal is really to offer good and beautiful products, which are out of the ordinary”, concludes Sébastien Franjau. An inauguration, by invitation and in the presence of partners, clients, elected officials, etc. is scheduled for Friday, September 24.
Practical information :
La Cendrée, 11 rue des Tourneurs in Toulouse. The restaurant is open Tuesday to Saturday, 12:30 pm to 2 pm and 7:30 pm to 9:30 pm. The delicatessen is open from 10 am to 7 pm. Contact: 05 61 25 76 97.
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