Lo Gorissado-Domaine le Glandier

Tucked away among the trees, this is a lovely restaurant. The owners are kind and attentive, and the whole visit felt like being welcomed into the home of their best friends. The food was excellent and such good value. If you get the chance to go, don’t miss it. You’ll come away smiling.

My friends and wife enjoyed their meal, but I was disappointed by how few vegetables there were. The dessert was bland, and my wife felt the same. We all waited an hour and a half for my friends’ starter, which was frustrating. I’d have given it 2 stars, but gave it 4 because of my friends.

Watch out for the gift vouchers. We’d booked and sent the details beforehand for our “Gourmets Romantiques” voucher, which was meant to cover the “gourmet du moment” menu for two, wine pairing, and a cup of champaing. It was bought on their own website and worth 132€ (119€ with a promotion). When we arrived, they seemed very confused about it and about the fact that we hadn’t printed it. They weren’t sure what the “gourmet du moment” menu was. After more than 45 minutes without even being offered water, they said the voucher would get us a 33,5 € menu formule each, two or three glasses of wine per person, and a cup of champaing. That menu didn’t include foie, truffle, or anything like what we’d hoped for. After more discussion, they agreed to give us a 48€ perigord menu and a glass of wine each. Counting each glass at 6€, our 132€ voucher got us 108€ worth of food and wine. The food was very good, I can’t say otherwise, but the whole experience was unpleasant and we never felt welcome.

We drove through winding woodland roads, starting to think we’d gone too far, before coming across Lo Gorissado. After parking on the grass by a barn, we walked up to the dining room, where the owner greeted us with a smile and guided us through the meal. The restaurant is a farm-to-table food paradise near the Dordogne valley, and the food was superb, with a story behind every plate. The husband and wife team know how to make the dishes feel special, and the staff and owners were the kindest and most caring. We’ve spent two weeks eating at great places in Paris, Lyon, Nice, the Dordogne valley, and San Sebastian in Spain, and none matched the quality, service, or experience here. One tip: if you’re in the Dordogne valley for more than a couple of days, go to this restaurant last, since nothing else will compare.