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Southern France Restaurant Guide

Thursday 14 July 2005, by A correspondent

Here is a very personal guide to eating out in the Herault.

Notes:-
1.The Languedoc pulls down the shutters and hibernates during its short winter. Check first whether the restaurant you want to go to is open.

2. French factory law heritage means that unlike their Spanish neighbours French stomachs work to a strict time schedule 12:00 - 14:00 lunch 20:00- 21:30 (latest) dinner do not dilly dally or you will be disappointed and hungry.

Apres la Deluge

5 RUE MAR PLANTAVIT Pezenas 04 67 98 10 77

This used to be recognised as one of the top restaurants in Pezenas, good food, nice ambience with honky tonk piano often playing in the background, friendly but slow service. Limited choice menus range down in price from their 35 euro ’Menu de Terroir’. Slightly disappointed on a recent visit and think that it is wiser to visit in the off season.

Les Palmiers

COUR LES PALMIERS 10 BIS MERCIERE Pezenas 04 67 09 42 56

Hidden away in the old town, this restaurant is not open in the winter months as all seating is in an open courtyard. An interesting menu making good use of spices. Well worth a visit.

Le Nouveau Printemps

2 RUE CALQUIERES BASSES, Pezenas 04 67 98 12 71

On the corner at the end of the antique shops road and below the big parking, this restaurant is run by the ex owner of the Auberge du Chateau in Margon. Very good food at resonable prices. Well worth a visit.

Le Bateleur

5 PLACE LEDRU ROLLIN, Pezenas 04 67 98 19 96
Good food well presented makes this restaurant, near the Stephenson Cafe in Pezenas’s main market street, a lunchtime delight.

La Terrasse

2 PLACE GAMBETTA, Pezenas 04 67 98 25 11

Jovial host, good friendly service, good food, huge portions (if fish is your favourite dish, avoid eating for at least two days before ordering their huge and varied fish platter!), good service. This restaurant is in the square with the tourist office in the old town.

Le Zebre

Rue Aristide Rouzière, Pezenas 04 67 21 33 08

Very friendly service, nice atmosphere, not many tables but generous servings and inventive cuisine all at reasonable prices. Suits meat eaters and vegetarians This restaurant is habit forming. Just behind the post office.

Hostellerie de Saint Alban

31 ROUTE AGDE Nézignan l’Evêque 04 67 98 11 38

Gastronomic restaurant, good food and presentation, good friendly service, quite pricy. Pleasant setting.

Le Bontemps

PLACE EGLISE Magalas 04 67 36 20 82

Bought up the old Boucherie and Magalas now boasts a gourmet restaurant. Good food good wine, chefs in white and flashing kitchen knives now the style! Worth a visit, book early because it is booked up a long way ahead and try to persuade a rich uncle to pay, cos it is not light on the pocket...

Restaurant La Maison

9 AVENUE LA GARE Tourbes 04 67 98 86 95

Honest food, good wine, friendly service, sometimes live music.Restaurant worth visiting.

Auberge de la Tour

AVENUE PEZENAS Valros 04 67 98 52 01

Very good traditional French cooking a ’terroir’ restaurant. Good service and good wine list.

Forum posts

  • Restaurant Le Glacier
    6 av Victor Hugo 34340 MARSEILLAN 04 67 77 22 04

    This is the restaurant if you like shellfish and fresh fish.

  • Le Palais des Roses

    323 bd Saint Fructueux - 34400 LUNEL Tél 04.67.83.03.24 ou 06.71.95.10.03

    How many of you long for a decent curry, we have discovered a rather nice Indian restaurant in Lunel.it is called Le Palais des Roses.

    This is the closest we have come to finding an Indian restaurant in France that serves curry’s like we used to get in England. Don’t get me wrong I adore the French food but do occasionally long for something a little spicy. Ask for the hot sauce to accompany your curry, it is dynamite

    View online : http://www.palaisdesroses34.com

  • Le Pannequet - French cuisine in Pezenas.

    Having friends visiting for a night, four of us decided to try the restaurant ’Le Pannequet’ in Pezenas, France. Going on recommendation alone, we had no real expectation as to what the dining experience would be like.
    The four of us very much enjoy sampling new tastes and dishes and have either had the opportunity to dine in London, Paris and Spain’s top end restaurants, or have worked in the industry for years - we know good food.
    Le Pannequet offered no disappointment. The menu was small enough to ensure the ingrediants would all be fresh while still being able to have a variety to please different tastes.
    The place was run by a husband and wife team and while the ’chef’ did not have any culinary diplomas or certificates, he has obviously worked in kitchens of high quality where he has learned more than could be taught in a culinary institute. The mise en bouche was a succulent blend of artichoke, creme fraiche and pork, which was followed by the appetizers. Amongst the first course were the carpaccio de boeuf, soupe de moules and a smoked duck with foie gras salad. Few words were spoken as we focused our senses on the delicious flavours of our dishes which were, well, amazing. When our main course had arrived, we did not think it possible that the starters could be topped, but we were proven wrong. The guinea fowl pasta and the pork medallions were moist, tender and cooked to perfection. The presentation was beautiful and we were soon falling in love with Le Pannequet. Timing remained perfect leaving enough time to digest between servings. Starting to feel slightly full, but not wanting the experience to end, we were presented with a dessert menu that was included in our order. Heaven. Who doesn’t enjoy dessert on a regular occasion, but in the skillful hands of Le Pannequet’s owner, it was delightful. You could tell that everything was prepared fresh and made to order, the wines went very well with our meals and were exactly what we wanted.
    The husband and wife team at Le Pannequet were very friendly, very helpful and definitely made our evening. I cannot recommend this place high enough, and encourage everyone to taste for yourself. For the four of us, which included three bottles of wine and three full courses, the total came to 170euro. Well worth it, I assure you.

  • I love this area of France, we went there last summer but I don’t recall going to any of these restuarants. I’ll google it and see what I find anyway.

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