La Pourpre et les Oliviers

Amazing, first september week and on Thursday we were the only customers. I had mullet, followed by cheesecake, both were good. closes at 1.30 a.m., so we felt a bit hurry that at 12.45 a.m. arrived very beautiful wein. 18 euro for...goods and dessert.

Marveles best restaurang this year. Er are on holidays i france for 4 vecks. Good kocking and fine atmosfär. Er liked it very much.

We ate everywhere in the area as I refuse to cook when on holiday. We must have caught this place on a bad day. The staff weren't at all welcoming, we were made to sit inside (in August) where it was blindingly lit and completely...silent, even when more customers came. The chef was quite cheerful when he came out. The food was fine but that just isn't enough when paying double the price of eating at any other restaurants in the area.

If you're looking to eat in St. Jean de Fos, you can settle for one of the cafés in the main square on a good day, the food won't be too bad, but on a bad day (for example, when they are busy) the...food won't be too good. But at least you have the compensation of watching the world or at least that part of it that is in St. Jean de Fos that day go by. Or you can be a tiny bit more adventurous, leave the centre of the village, and walk a couple of hundred metres to La Pourpre et les oliviers. You'll miss out on people watching but you'll be more than compensated by an excellent meal. The cooking here is not flashy but the dishes are nonetheless carefully presented and the emphasis is on good quality local (and I mean local, not even regional) ingredients, with the menu changing with the seasons. The food is complemented by a selection of local again local wines, and friendly and efficient service. Worth the detour!

With family down from England for the holidays, and with most restaurants in the area closed, we were pleased to find that la Pourpre et les Oliviers was open and had a table for 6 available on Friday December 27th. The room was attractive and...the tables nicely laid up and we forgave the slightly hostile welcome and attitude of the two front of house ladies as we considered the interesting choices on the menu and the very extensive and all-pocket encompassing wine list. However, the food delivered did not match our expectations. A pheasant terrine was a bit clumsy in both presentation and taste and the foie gras done in the style of a pot au feu was not pleasant. Most of us had the venison stew as a main course. It was OK, but left a slight metallic taste in the mouth. The cheese trolley promised much as it was wheeled across the room, but most of the cheeses looked very tired on closer inspection. Desserts had that same tired look and taste and I wondered if it was such a good idea to have eaten out on the 27th. Perhaps most of the food had been prepared before Christmas and left in the fridge for a number of days. The attitude of the staff did not improve and, therefore, added nothing to the overall enjoyment of the meal. When the chef came out to do his round of the tables, he moved swiftly on from us to chat with far more animation to the rest of the customers who all appeared to be French. It was all a bit of a shame. I had heard good things about this restaurant and had wanted to try it for some time. I doubt if I will go back.