Domaine de Rochevilaine

We are two francophile Austrians and particularly enjoy spending our summer holidays in Brittany. In this case, we always rent an independent holiday home, but also treat ourselves to visits to good restaurants in the area. Unfortunately, this time we didn't have much luck with our first visit – to another restaurant! – although most of the reviews had been very good. In the meantime, we've even had started to have doubts about ourselves – maybe we've become too critical restaurant guests? So, we were almost a bit nervous before our visit to the restaurant of the Domaine de Rochevilaine: What will it be like this time? Ok, let's give the answer right away: it was a completely successful overall experience, from the setting (a nice table close to a window), from the service and of course especially from the cuisine! (By chance, I came across a review beforehand in which the “carpaccio de bar” was described very negatively: Even though the carpaccio may have stuck a little to the plate in very few spots - for us it was one of the best and also aesthetically most sophisticated (fish) carpaccios we have ever seen and eaten! [At our request we were given a list of the names of the small mussels that were also part of the plate – because as "Central Europeans" we didn't know them all]). We were also very satisfied with the friendly and efficient service. Many restaurants nowadays only rely on 20 to 30 year old chic "models" for service, but here it was particularly positive that several generations were working together and complemented each other very well. In any case, the visit to the Domaine de Rochevilaine was a highlight of our holidays in Brittany this time! Merci beaucoup à toute l’équipe !

I am fortunate enough to have stayed in very exclusive 5* hotels all over the world, but this one is disappointing. The building is old and characterful, the sea views spectacular, but our room, although large and clean, was dull and gloomy. I did not want to spend any more time in it than I had to The staff are well trained to be polite and 'friendly', but there is no real soul here. The restaurant is a very serious affair, serving ridiculously over styled food - every dish seemed to have several purees or emulsions, and all the ingredients were rolled, filleted or sculpted and transformed into miniscule decorations. Beautiful to look at, but just too many flavours, and in the end, not very satisfying to eat. I began to wonder how many hands had touched these intricate works of art. Each dish required such a lengthy verbal explanation of provenance and method of preparation, that in the end, I just had to laugh at the pretentiousness of it all. And don't get me started on the breakfast! Well OK ... I see from other reviews that we could have had eggs prepared to our own taste, but that wasn't mentioned the night before, when we were (quite firmly) asked to order one of the set breakfast menus after our supper. We were a party of eight (four couples) and didn't all arrive at the breakfast table together, but nothing could be served until we were all present - not even coffee. Finally it all arrived, but it was theatre again! A soft boiled egg 'en gelee' looked cold and slippery (and apparently was). An unmemorable 'eel flan' would have fitted into an egg cup (a quail's egg cup). But the coffee was excellent. I feel for the chef and waiting staff who clearly work very hard to provide creative dishes and impeccable service. But it's all a bit too orchestrated and formal. As one of our party said: "we are paying for an experience", but I wasn't sure it was one I truly enjoyed. Perhaps I missed the point.

Très bel établissement, avec une vue magnifique. Super accueil. Le personnel au petit soin. Déjeuner excellent avec des produits d exceptions Merci à toute l’équipe