TEN – International Bistro dining in Uzès
When a British expat (a well-traveled one at that), and a Frenchman team up to bring us a taste of an Aussie-style eatery, you get TEN, a break from the usual French fare you can find around Uzès.
I am a big fan of entrepreneurs here in France. Mainly because I know exactly how great and painful it can be to be one. I can’t really compare it to anywhere else as owning a business was something I only ever experienced in France. . . . but I digress. We’re talking about food, delicious, fresh food.
With a number of years of experience under their belts, this dynamic couple Kate & François have certainly selected for themselves, a gem of a location just a stone’s throw away from the Place aux Herbes.
TEN opened its doors in 2016, the concept was seasonal international food and cocktails, with regional and French wine. While they have changed chefs since they first opened with the departure of their good friend and fellow globe-trotter, Nabila, they have managed to maintain a solid menu selection adding in French daily specials to the menu.
The first time I ventured into TEN, I was immediately struck by the brightness and warmth of the place. The beef ribs which were marinated for 24-hours in ketchup, soy sauce, & coriander had a distinctly Asian flavor. But it’s not just Asian style cuisine you will find here. I think there is enough to whet the appetites of foodies from all culinary walks of life. Let’s talk about the fish and chips with puréed minty peas, yes, please. The Vietnamese salad with chicken, wombok (a cabbage) and Thai basil, with just enough kick to get you dreaming of tropical breezes. The fried calamari breaded in cornmeal – a great option for gluten watcher. Some of these items have been replaced on the menu with other even tastier options but the base remains the same. Kate tries everything and with every new menu, goes through a slight sense of panic that any committed business owner should if they want to stay in the game.
Other things not to be ignored and that you’ll find on the specials menu are the oysters. My chose was the Tempura oysters with wasabi mayo. For the traditionalists, they do also have regular oysters, but I’ll leave those to you.
This restaurant with its two terraces (lucky ducks), is a daring move away from the expected and is a place I come back repeatedly.
In its early days, TEN did try to go with a brunch menu, mainly eggs, if memory serves but as I don’t do eggs, I had suggested to the owner, Kate, who hails from Devon, U.K. with much cheek, that Devonshire cream with some scones would be a welcome addition!
So far I have not been too disappointed. The service is friendly, the food is excellent and to top it off, they make an exceptional cappuccino. What more could I ask for?
My only remark if I have to make one, is that I wish there were more options that I could feed my son. He eats pretty much everything but I like to keep his portion size at a reasonable level. He generally tends to go for the fish and chips which now are offered at a half-size portion for kids.
You should follow them on Instagram and Facebook. But, remember not to do so on an empty stomach!
So a special thank you to François, Kate, and the TEN team for bringing us a bit of originality in the le Pays d’Uzès. We’ll be back again!
Here are some of the mouth-watering photos I’ve taken over several visits to TEN:
10 rue Dampmartin, Uzes 30700
Tel: +33 (0)4 66 22 10 93
Open for lunch & dinner.
Closed on Mondays and Tuesdays.
You’ll have to wait till March 1st, in 2019 for TEN to be back from a well-deserved break.
Original post updated January 4, 2019
While in Uzès, come discover the art of French cooking with fun and convivial French cooking classes from chef Eric Fraudeau at Cook’n With Class Uzès
