Ar Men - Île-de-Sein

A little isolated on the north west outskirts of the little town, this proved an excellent choice for lunch. The local oysters were excellent and the main cours... read more A little isolated on the north west outskirts of the little town, this proved an excellent choice for lunch. The local oysters were excellent and the main course of three different types of local fish was beautifully cooked and presented. This all came within a very reasonably priced fixed menu with a wide choice of appealing desserts. We also enjoyed an excellent bottle of Muscadet with our meal, again at very acceptable price. The value for money was exceptional, especially after some of the more pretentious and much more expensive meals we had enjoyed on the mainland nearby. Towards the end of September we did book ahead although the restaurant still had a few spare places. At the height of the season we would expect that booking would be essential.

The prix fixe menu is becoming harder to find now and it's always a bit of a gamble. This restaurant, though, never disappoints - it's heaven for fish lovers an... read more The prix fixe menu is becoming harder to find now and it's always a bit of a gamble. This restaurant, though, never disappoints - it's heaven for fish lovers and for those who appreciate attention to detail. Bread should always be available throughout a meal - and it is! In this case, it's made on the premises (the seaweed bread is our favourite). Patrick the chef is skilled at presenting fish in very creative ways and the meals are fresh and well-balanced. The service is friendly, unfussy and the atmosphere is of a serious eatery with no pretensions. A lovely, lovely place!

Never been disappointed with the food here, fresh food well cooked, bread and desserts are all homemade and the fish is smoked by the chef. Shame they changed t... read more Never been disappointed with the food here, fresh food well cooked, bread and desserts are all homemade and the fish is smoked by the chef. Shame they changed the furniture this year the old chairs and tables were charming, the new ones are very sterile-looking and mass produced. Service generally good, discreet and promptish. Good bottle of Muscadet or Cotes du Rhone for under 20 euros. This is really the only reason to visit Sein, I have been visiting for several years and the reasons I initially liked are now very much outweighed by the negatives. The locals can barely raise a smile unless there is a tourist dollar involved, the main beach is contaminated by the fosse septiques from the businesses lining the quayside, the water is freezing in comparison to the mainland, the ferry ticket is expensive (nearly 30 euros return ticket) and the island bars seem to mainly peopled by the local heavy drinkers and their entourage, not very enticing at all. And where is everybody? Its much much quieter now than it used to be and I can see why. Like me, they've discovered prettier, cheaper, cleaner and more interesting parts of France. Climate change predictions aren't looking good for Sein so they should make more effort especially as apparently the Mayor wants to attract more visitors and year round residents. Good luck to him. Try Audierne or Douarnenez for a better experience.

Being fish lovers, we enjoyed this meal. The Irish fish soup is a great discovery, we highly recommend it. The trio of fish is excellent, as well as the skate w... read more Being fish lovers, we enjoyed this meal. The Irish fish soup is a great discovery, we highly recommend it. The trio of fish is excellent, as well as the skate with raspberry sauce, a real treat. All this served hot, and yes it must be emphasized. It is rare to have real homemade desserts, thank you for introducing us to the pommé, the pancake cake and the Amandine fruit tart. Congratulations to the cooks. We appreciated the speed of the service, the friendliness of the waitress and the young waiter. The only downside is the welcome by this uncommunicative man, who thinks he is on vacation during the service since he is in flip-flops, barely friendly. We recommend this establishment, this reception point still needs to be improved, it is a shame given the professionalism in all other areas.

An excellent meal from starter to dessert. The fish terrine was sublime, the trio of scallops excellent and what can we say about the crepe cake other than perf... read more An excellent meal from starter to dessert. The fish terrine was sublime, the trio of scallops excellent and what can we say about the crepe cake other than perfect...