Le Saint-Louis

This restaurant is located just by the Gate of Saint Louis within the walls of the city. We had tried to eat at La Fleur du Sel, where we had enjoyed fabulous meals in years gone by, but it was full so we tried Le Saint Louis because it was recommended in our ancient guide-​book. It was a weekday lunchtime in August but at first we weren’t sure the restaurant was even open, as it seemed to be quite empty. Also the restaurant did not advertise a menu enfant so we were a little concerned about bringing our four hungry kids inside I went in and checked, and the delightful friendly waiter said that yes, they were open and that they would create a suitable dish for our kids with ice-​cream and a drink at 8EUR apiece. Chef informed him to tell us that the kids would be given ham and potatoes. (We weren’t offered a choice! But Chef knew best). When this arrived, each child had a wedge of the most delicious, meltingly tender, home-​cooked gammon arranged on a plate with a miniature perfect stack of dauphinois potatoes, accompanied by crisp green beans and heavenly carrot purée. For kids who thought they wanted burger and chips, they polished the lot off appreciatively, not to mention the pleasure their parents got from finding somewhere in France where vegetables are served! The children even agreed that sometimes a properly trained French chef might even be a better cook than mum. Our own meals included a fabulous starter of chevre on a bed of leeks and sundried tomato, followed by the tenderest lamb tasted for years (Mr Bristol) and a nice piece of veal (me) accompanied with richly earthy morel mushrooms. We washed it down with a notably delicious but relatively inexpensive white Bourgogne. I also managed to cram in a dessert, a rich and crunchy and splendid chocolate croquante. We finished the meal off with coffees for the adults — and the entire meal for 6 came in at 125EUR. It’s a quiet place with a medieval feel inside — dim lights and bare solid stone walls, with a nice outdoor courtyard area and good clean toilets. Our waiter was unobtrusive but friendly and helpful. I suppose this is the standard for eating out in Dinan — just fantastic. It’s this kind of experience that fuels the fantasy of Brits that they should immediately emigrate to France!

Excellent
Habitant depuis le début 2007 le nord du 35, nous avons tout de suite été conquis par la carte du St Louis. Excellent restaurant traditionnel avec une pointe d’originalité où il faut (salade de fraise huile d’olive au basilique ! Succulent). Des produits frais bien cuisinés à un prix très très correct compte tenu de la qualité. Fortement conseillé, ils ont même une carte fidelité !