Hôtel Restaurant Les2M — Restaurant in Fontenay-le-Comte

Both meals I had were amazing. I am kicking myself for not photographing the first. I had a "well-being" set menu that was priced at €35. The starter was white crab meat mixed with threads of cucumber on a bed of sliced avocado. The main course was mackerel fillet in a Thai flavoured coconut soup with rice vermicelli. These were served with a hot ginger and citrus infusion on the side which blew me away. It looked beautiful and tasted wonderful. Today I revisited for the formula du midi. A fixed menu. It commenced with an amuse bouche of sweetcorn beignet and cheesy gougers. The starter was a classic oeuf mimosa with beetroot, pickled shallots. Acidity, sweetness and mustard all beautifully balanced. Then it was a fillet of salmon with lovely crispy skin-perhaps undercooked in the centre for some but I would prefer that to a dry piece of fibrous fish. This was served with quinoa, pomegranate and spring onion. The sauce was coconut milk and turmeric-very different to the other sauce I'd had. Again wonderfully balanced. More importantly is that I am not sure I would have ever ordered these dishes but the chef had got me with his other dishes and I was willing to submit myself to his choices. Finally a very traditional apple compote infused with cinnamon and vanilla, a caramel sauce and nuggets of biscuity crunchiness. €21!!!!! for...

On entering I vouldn't help but notice that they have chosen to keep the same seating arrangements as the ptevious owners. That is to say a bench seat (much better quality and far more comfortable than before) and extremely uncomfortable ordinary wooden chairs on the other side of the table. This doesn't give the "upscale feeling" With that said, the food was excellent, especially the lamb. Our table had chosen meat and fish and the fish came out a good 5 to 7 minutes before the meat, meaning they either started eating before the meat arrived or waited and risked cold fish. The other aspect I didn't like was that you were not given a detailed bill showing exactly what you had so you are unable to check it. This is fine with a set menu but when ordering a la carte it needs itemising. I have knocked 1 star for my negative comments but the food does...

Firstly: I know nothing about the accommodation! But the food is great! Interesting juxtapositions of textures and flavours left me wanting to come back for more, and I certainly shall!! I chose the €37 “mise en bouche” menu that I thought was good value, but lunchtime midweek there’s a cheaper €21 alternative that I’ll try next time. You can eat in the salon or in the little outside enclosed courtyard in summer. Friendly & efficient service. Chapeau et au revoir!!

I went back & tried the midweek €21 menu: equally delicious! Starter main & dessert (no choice, obvs for this price!) The chef obviously enjoys contrasting flavours & textures in unexpected ways and I used the (delicious!) bread to wipe my plate! If you’re in Fontenay (they close on Thurs) you really...