O'SOLEIL LA BRASSERIE du SOLEIL

O'SOLEIL LA BRASSERIE du SOLEIL - 34 Quai Antonin Gros, 34340 Marseillan

Marseillan is in itself a very nice place on Bassin de Thau and to visit any of the restaurants along the port is very pleasant. If the food is nice and the price is right it is even better. La brasserie du Soleil is one of those places. We have been there quite a few times but I have not reviewed it before.
We were four people and three of us had filled and grilled mussels and myself I had their home made foie gras. We were all very happy. For main, three of us had back of cod and one of us had a skewer on beef.

My cod was absolutely perfectly cooked and served in Japanese style in a vegetable broth with lemon grass. It was beautiful. Even if this is a typical fish restaurant the meat was tender and perfectly cooked I was told. For desert I had the classic Illes flottantes, two of us had gazpacho on pineapple and one a cheese platter. I do not know if it has improved enormously or if my memory from earlier visits has faded. Now it is really good and – the full menu is 29 euros.

The service is professional and nice and we talked to the chef when we left and he gave an impression of proficiency and ambition.

After you leave you have to visit the home of the famous Noilly Prat whose plant is just across the port. They have come up with a new Extra Dry version which is even more perfect for a dry martini than the Original Dry.

WEB: https://www.facebook.com/osoleilmarseillan/
LATEST VISIT: April 2017
NUMBER OF VISITS: 4

LE GRAND CAP ♥

LE GRAND CAP - Chemin du Phare, 11370 LEUCATE
Michelin 

The restaurant in the same building used to be the one Michelin star restaurant Klim & Ko. Now it has new owners and is totally redecorated. It was good before, but it is far better now. We had a birthday lunch on a Monday with friends and it was fantastic.

The new owners are Pamela and Ewan Houssin. He has worked for Franck Putelat in Carcassonne and at the remarkable Meurice in Paris. Pamela is making all the fantastic sweets and desserts.

We tried the normal lunch of the day which starts with a “pouce bouche” followed by a really delicious starter on sea-food. The main course was very tender pork. We also had some cheese from the trolley, which was extra and after that we were served a pre-desert, followed by one of the most ambitious deserts I ever seen on a lunch menu. We were full, but still there were tons of sweets served – all hand made in the restaurant. All this, except the cheese, for 32 euros per person. Everything was absolutely delicious.

As I mentioned the restaurant is totally redecorated and the new chairs are comfortable. The table setting is really nice in all aspects and every little piece is chosen to remind you of the sea that is dominating the view entirely wherever you sit in the restaurant.

As positive as everything was I have a couple of small complaints: 14 euros for those tiny small pieces of cheese that were served is a theft and it did not get better when a piece of cheese dropped on the serving table was picked up and put on my friend’s plate. Also – the background music is terrible. It is a very irritating loop of new-age spa-music that just got us crazy after a while.

I am sure this will be the next Michelin star restaurant in the area and we will certainly go back many times.

Revisited November 2016: It was really good this time also. The today's lunch was a dream, so I expect the other menus offered to be a real experience for the taste as well as for the eyes. For those with a sweet tooth this place is also like coming to heaven. The desserts are endless also on the set lunch menu.

Revisited April 2017: Fantastic as always and the weather was splendid, which is an extra at this place.

WEB: http://www.restaurant-grand-cap.fr/

LATEST VISIT: Decembre 2018
NUMBER OF VISITS: 7

Reasons for the ♥ :
First of all the food, which is of highest gourmet class, but it does not hurt to look out over the infinite view of the Mediterranean Sea from a very tastefully designed restaurant there every detail is chosen with care. And - the sweets of course.

LE VIEUX COQ

LE VIEUX COQ - 1 rue Albert Paul Allies, 34120, Pezenas

This is a small restaurant located in one corner of the little square Gambetta. The location is very nice and the food is good and at a good price. One of the reasons that we go there is that there are many chances in Pezenas to get really bad food – especially if you go to one of the “restaurants” along Place du 14 Juilliet. Take a few extra steps and go into the old town – it will pay off.

WEB:
Latest visit: September 2016
Number of visits: 2

LA GUINGUETTE

LA GUINGUETTE – Rue de la Fontaine Fraîche, 11200 Argens Minervois

This restaurant on the banks of Canal du Midi is very rustic and charming. It is the first time we visited it, but we have got good recommendations from many friends to go there. We were not disappointed. The food is traditional and well-made and the atmosphere is very pleasant. You sit outside under large parasols. It is nice to see the canal boats passing by while listening to old French chansons in the background. For the first time we had grilled Camembert cheese on toast with tomatoes and garlic. It sounds weird, but is really delicious. Try it for starter or as a small dish – it is quite filling.
They have a good selection of local wines at a good price and in the summer they have concerts in the evening.

WEB: http://www.laguinguette-restaurant.com/
Latest visit: June 2017
Number of visits: 2

LA RÔTISSERIE – Restaurant Médiéval

LA RÔTISSERIE – Château de Villerouge-Terménès, 11330, Villerouge-Terménès

This is a special place. The venue is the old castle and they try to take you back to the 13^th century. They have four set menus and everything is well made and very generous. Aperitif and wine is included and generously served. You eat with a sharp knife, a wooden spoon and your fingers and use a bread-cake as plate. The personnel are dressed in 13^th century outfit and are very pleasant. Yes - it is special made for us tourists, but the price is right, the food is good and it is an adventure to visit the restaurant. Menus start from 35 euros and we were very happy with that.

WEB: http://restaurant-medieval.com/
Latest visit: September 2016
Number of visits: 1