Lou Portaou - Réserver une table

There are many eating options in the tiny hillside village of Bormes Les Mimosas and many are middling to awful. Lou Portaou is one of the exceptions, and in nine visits over eight years, it has never proved a poor choice.The best seating is in the cave/tunnel which adjoins the kitchen. It's a warm, friendly atmosphere, and although the tables are close together, you never feel you are eating with your neighbours. The mood is chilled and very convivial.The staff speak little English but are fluent in German and do well with Italian too. Nevertheless, they are forgiving of a lack of French language skills and do their utmost to ensure comprehension and ease.Always best to ask what they recommend as their choices are always spot on. They now offer three choices for each course at very reasonable set menu prices.The meal started with an amuse bouche that was divine: a thick, cold pea and mint soup with a dollop of crime fraiche. Any Michelin star restaurant would have been proud to serve it.First courses were equally impressive, and wildly different, using fresh seasonal vegetables in unique ways : a courgette muffin served with perfectly done asparagus spears and a goat's cheese veloute; cold parsnip soup, thick and remarkably flavoursome, accompanied by a crouton topped with foie gras and crumbled nuts; a stuffed red pepper and an aubergine cake, served warm with braised carrots and other seasonal root vegetable. All were superb.Main courses were original and rich: perfectly cooked beef patties served on a buckwheat risotto; baked artichoke hearts stuffed with shredded confit of duck (an extraordinary combination which was thrilling and decadent).Owner Philippe Cavatore is genial and welcoming and his recommendations for wine always spot on. We very much enjoyed a local Rosé he suggested.Dessert was simple and perfect: a glorious cheesecake, marinated strawberries in sweet chantilly cream, and a pungent, intensely zesty goat cheese.Our waiters, Tom and Greg, were affable and charming. There were no long waits, no misunderstandings and no false sincerity.A stylish, friendly and vastly enjoyable dining experience. Don't miss it.

• Utile
• Pas utile
• Répondre

Dined here in July as a couple. This provencal patoie-named restaurant "The Door/ Gate" is charming and unusually situated under a classified 12th century stone arch and hallway, very medieval looking. The chef (and owner maybe) has been there for nearly 30 years. We had a romantic dinner and enjoyed the food, there's a good selection of aperitifs and wines, we only had he former as were driving later. We showed up without a reservation on a Saturday and didn't have to wait (but that being said France was in the Euro final so perhaps many usual customers were busy watching TV elsewhere).Food was great and decently priced. We both had a tasty marinated tuna tartare as a first dish and then baked fish for me / roasted lamb for my partner. We skipped desert. The menu offers 3 choices for each appetiser / main / desert so not a lot of choice but he dishes were different enough for different moods (fish vs lamb vs rabbit as a main for example), but we didn't see vegetarian alternatives.Also situated just off a charming pedestrian street in the historical city centre of Bormes - great views getting to the restaurant and a charming village if you're hesitating to go there.

• Utile
• Pas utile
• Répondre

Lou Portaou is located just of one of the main shopping streets in Bormes. We were there for lunch. The food was very good and well priced. The waiter combined our dishes into one menu which gave us a great price. Very nice. The wine choice is straightforward and good. No fancy long lists only understandable for experts. We loved the small table we sat on and the pepper mills. The outside setting is really great and nice and cool on sunny days. I would certainly visit again. The toilet is an adventure for a tall person like me.

• Utile
• Pas utile
• Répondre

Having booked, we were disappointed not to be offered a decent table - there are two round tables that seat four or five, insist on one! Very earnest food, trying hard to be complicated, and succeeding. We were in a party of four and none of us had a plate we would return for. A shame, because the location is charmingly tucked into a tunnel in the old town.

• Utile
• Pas utile
• Répondre

Loved the atmosphere, extra special as we ate down in cellar and very helpful staff. Great food and wine.. A real treat! Thank you all at Lou Portaou see you in June

• Utile
• Pas utile
• Répondre