Without knowing much, we stopped by Niort on a drive from Bordeaux to Paris and found this friendly…read morelittle place down a side street. Resto La Terrine is hard to define. Much of the menu is traditional country food, including duck, terrine, and roasts. However their dishes are presented with some modern flair, and there's a sense of an effort at modern (dare I say the word) fusion. The results are, on balance, successful. I went with a simple chevre salad. Here, the cheese is coated in a cumin, honey spice rub which is quite tasty though does mask some of the richness of the cheese. My wife had one of the platters, which arrived with langoustine, shrimp, foie gras, and a number of other goodies. Both were served on square slate plates, which was fun, but the platter was almost over presented. I did get a sense of trying too hard. That said, there was a definite freshness, and Resto La Terrine is clearly a cafe that goes for honesty and quality. The service was excellent. If you are already in Niort, you probably have time to wander around and find all manner of hidden gems. There may be better than Resto La Terrine, but if you make the choice, I think you'll leave satisfied.

From the owner: Quand l'accueil n'a d'égal que la cuisine Le restaurant gastronomique La Belle Etoile est situé aux…read morebords de la Sèvre Niortaise, dans un joli jardin fleuri avec kiosque et terrasse couverte. Cette maison de qualité propose une cuisine du terroir (saumon mariné au Chardonnay du Poitou, pavé de rumsteack en croûte de chèvre, tarte à la marmelade de fraise et angélique fraîche) ainsi qu'une cave à vins très complète.

From the owner: Un resto ? Situé à proximité du centre ville, Le Resto est spécialisé dans la cuisine…read moretraditionnelle. Les plats sont raffinés et vous serez séduit par la lotte rôtie au poivre vert, les rognons de veau flambés à l'armagnac ou encore le pavé de rumsteack au poivre vert flambé au cognac. Goûtez aussi les différents panscotta comme la pugliese : ail, huile d'olive, tomates pelées, filets d'anchois et origan.