Le Pressoir — Restaurant in Saint Martin (France)

Unfortunately, Gil, Milaure, and chef failed on February 20th, 2025. The expediter (from Sardinia) was great and did a great job filling the gaps where the service from his superiors was lacking. To start, we each had a cocktail, my wife had an espresso martini and I had a dry gin martini, both of which were perfect! We were also given an amuse bouche, also very good. And this is where things fell apart. No one came and told us about the specials for the day, or asked us if we had questions about the menu. Gil simply arrived at the table and asked us if we were ready to order. He then awkwardly told us about a rib-eye special in English, even though we told him he could explain it in French. It was all very rushed, which seemed to be the theme for the evening. I understand that people want to get home and finish their shifts, but if it is of such great importance, don't take an 8:30pm reservation. Anyway, my wife ordered the 5 hour octopus and I ordered the 'Popotte du Pressoir'. Both of which were well executed except for the fact that the Popotte was not heated all the way through. Yes, it was tasty, but it had cold spots throughout, and I was forced to stir it, to obtain a uniform 'tepid' temperature. Anyway, for 33 euro, it was disappointing, because it could have been awesome if they fired it longer. Our mains were decent. My wife had the lobster entree which was good except for the orzo side that was kind of meh. I had the tuna Rossini dish which had great flavour, but here again the dish failed in its temperature. The foie gras was seared on one side (and not the other) to the point of being crispy, but it was room temperature when it arrived. The tuna was seared on both sides and was cool, but that was to be expected. The sauce was also served warm ,and not hot. These fine details are a deal breaker when one is paying 57 euro for an entree (or plat principale). Other things to note. We received our entrees before we were asked if we wanted something else to drink (beyond the cocktails). We did end up ordering a bottle of wine, which was super tasty, but we were seemingly forgotten when it came to refilling our glasses. And even towards the end of our meal Milaure drained the bottle and filled our glasses quite full, almost as a 'hurry up and get out of here' kind of way. We didn't end up ordering dessert because it seemed as though they were shutting the place down. Rush, rush, rush, rush. I get that everyone wants to go home, but don't take a reservation at 8:30 if you expect to shut the place down by 10:30 and furthermore, deliver good and timely service and maybe a two hour turnover would be possible. On the plus side, the dishes looked and tasted great, with the exception of temperature. The bread and butter service is about the best I have ever encountered, and it has been for years - yum. The stem ware and flat ware are awesome. The entrees and mains could be so good - just follow through! I expect and want the staff to give the same level of attention to those of us in the second seating as they do to the first. My wife and I are experienced international diners. It felt like I was charged Michelin star prices, for dishes and service that were not fully realized. Don't pretend you are one of the top restaurants in the Caribbean if you can't deliver in all the areas including, service, atmosphere, and food quality. Honestly, for half the price you will have great food quality and service at L' Auberge Gourmande and Le Cottage. The point is that there are other great restaurants in Grand Case! Also, none of this review pertains to the rum bar next door, Jason is extremely competent and serves not only the finest rums, but also some of the best cocktails on the island. Gil and Milaure...fix this! I want to love your restaurant. Not all of us are big shots, but we still want to spend money on delicious dining experiences. And I loved the fact that you blasted "Jump" by Van Halen for the guy that was celebrating his 50th birthday! Some diners were obviously annoyed, but I thought it...

We came in with very high expectations considering this institution has been deemed the best #1 restaurant in the Caribbean and left feeling mislead and a bit disappointed.

While the food here was good, we can attest that we had better French cuisine in a fine dining setting on the same side of the island.

Some of the items we got was over cooked (the fish stew) the complementary bread served was dense and too hard to enjoy. The risotto was way undercooked and more watery than creamy. That is why I couldn’t give this 5 stars.

A title as big as #1 restaurant in the Caribbean should be held by a restaurant that gets it right everytime, embodies the culture and food of the Caribbean and finds exciting way to present those ingredients.

Much of the items we had was imported from Spain and France etc. It’s just a bit disappointing to not see many local items on this menu.

Based on the quality and taste of the dishes we had, I wouldn’t prioritize this location on another visit.

UPDATE: i see the reply from business owners to my review and I am shocked.

The blatant narcism to insinuate that our thoughts on the risotto is invalid and state that we do not know Italian cuisine based on the fact that your risotto was undercooked past “Al dente” is a bit much.

I’m glad that they felt the need to remind me this is a French restaurant. France is still not Italy and my experience is validly mine.

P.S. i dined at 4 fine dining French restaurants highly rated on your island, 3 of the top 5 best top 50 restaurants outside of Italy and many Michelin starred restaurants specializing in Italian foods, many other highly awarded Italian restaurants, and still find your risotto to be disappointing.

Check your...

Perhaps the best restaurant the Caribbean? Gil and Milaur are the best hosts managing the main dining room with ease. You feel as though you are entering a private home ready, relaxed, at ease, and anticipating to receive one of the best meals on the island. It’s so hard to pick one item on the menu, but you absolutely must choose the egg parfait, it is one of those items on the menu that you have to try. Because once you do, you will be coming back time and time again for a bite of this delicious dish. I’ve had the Rossini Tourneau topped with seared Foie Gras, and sole meunire with a beurre blanc, the pot pressoire, the branzino, i could go on and on. But suffice to say you really can’t go wrong, just decide surf or turf and sit back and enjoy. The wine selection is worthy of the food (they can help, or you can just have a Frenchman with you!). Tasting menu or a la carte, they can pair the wine with the meal and make it extra special. But don’t forget the Rum Room. Jason will be there to help you digest your meal with a splash of rum from around the world. With over hundred rums to choose from, you need the curation of Jason to steer you in the right direction…and if you like cigars (i do!) then you can light up an authentic Cuban of your choice. This place is truly one of the absolute gems on the island. And yes the food is superb, the atmosphere a 10, but Gil and Milaur just are the perfect hosts to your evening. If you don’t go here at least once during your stay, you will be...