EATING OUT

in the Roche-Bernard Area
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To holiday in France is to have a love affair with food....

The Bretons tend to eat quite early in restaurants, often at 12 noon for lunch, and they generally start their evening meal between 7 and 9 pm. Breton meals can be quite lengthy affairs, particularly when starting with a huge platter of sea-food. The French love to chat during meals and – if there also many different courses – will happily be eating for the whole afternoon, or late into the evening. However, the arrival of the menu in a restaurant is a time for silent contemplation followed by serious discussion before a choice can be made. This would account for the popularity of the apéritif in France!

Restaurants throughout France have, by law, to post their menus outside the entrance so that you can look at the choices and – most importantly – check the prices. It would also be wise to make sure that a restaurant accepts credit cards at the outset, if that is how you plan to pay, before an embarrassing situation develops. Many of the smaller rural restaurants will only accept cash or a French cheque.

Most restaurants, unless they are very small, will normally offer a choice of set-price menus with two to five (or even more!) courses. Eating from a set menu is normally recommended, as you know exactly how much you will have to pay. Choosing à la carte can be very expensive. Something else worth knowing – if you are eating from a set menu, you are not expected to tip; the tip is already included in the price. If you are choosing from an à la carte menu, then tipping is expected (10 to 15%).

With certain more specialist restaurants, such as the usually-excellent fermes-auberges, it is imperative to phone (or call in person) in advance to book a table. Another tip – ALWAYS wait for the waiter or waitress to take you to your table, even if the place is empty. It is considered very bad manners simply to walk in and grab a table!

Children are very welcome in most restaurants (except the very exclusive ones perhaps) BUT they will be expected to behave well and not be noisy, run around or disturb the other guests. The French train their children as a matter of course to eat quietly in restaurants, and to sit, often for hours at a time, without signs of distress. Experience with British children has, sadly, shown that we don't always expect the same standards.

A full French meal normally begins with an apéritif served with little savoury snacks, usually known by the rather vulgar term amuse-gueule. The hors d'oeuvre are the starters, the entrées or plats principaux are the main courses. On more extensive menus, a side-salad will normally be served AFTER the main course, so if you want them both together you must say so. The cheese course (les fromages) is served before les desserts in France. A meal would then finish with coffee and perhaps a digestif, though herbal teas (tisane or infusion) are also popular.

A plat du jour (sometimes called a plat du marché) is the day's special, and will usually be worth trying. It is often based on what is in season or on special offer in the local market. Sometimes you can order the plat du jour on its own. A menu dégustation is a selection of the chef's or the region's specialities, and is usually excellent.

Wine is sometimes included with the meal, in which case it might say boisson compris or vin compris. Otherwise wine in restaurants can carry a heavy mark-up (boissons non compris) and can be quite expensive compared to supermarket prices. Having said that, restaurants are usually very proud of their choice of house wine, or reserve, so do give it a try.

Vegetarians get short shrift in France, but crêperies are one of the best options.

The following restaurants are within an easy walk of our accommodation in La Roche-Bernard:

• L'Auberge Bretonne - M. Jacques Thorel, 2, place Du Guesclin

• La Couronne - 44, rue Saint James

• L'Auberge des 2 Magots - 2, place Bouffay

• L'Auberge Rochoise - 42, rue de Nantes

• La Belle Epoque - 20, rue Saint James

• Crêperie Le Petit Marin - quai des Douanes

• La Storia - 47, rue Saint James

• La Sarrasine - 1, place Marchix

• Crêperie Gatin - 14, rue de la Saulnerie

• Le Borsalino - quai des Douanes

• Les Copains d'à Bord - quai Saint Antoine (Yes! It's on a boat!)

• Restaurant du Vieux Quartier - 8, place Bouffay

• Le Relais de la Roche - Le Pont du Morbihan (this is the bridge close by with panoramic views of the town)

• Pizzéria Solenza - Le Pont du Morbihan

At a slightly further distance (long walk, very short drive):

• Le Manoir du Rodoir - route du Nantes

• Auberge du Grand Baud - lotissement du Grand Baud, Nivillac

• Chez Jojo - 10, place Saint Pierre, Nivillac