Hotel Auberge La Feniere

We had the five-course lunch menu in December, and the bread was the best part: tasty, and the only thing that filled us up a little. The plates lacked originality, with things like tempura, seaweed, dried carrot and baked celeriac, often served with much the same sauce. Portions were ridiculously small. Fine dining shouldn’t leave you starving, but we came home so hungry that eating again was the first thing we did. €90 for a few spoonfuls of food and bread wasn’t worth it. The local and seasonal approach is an interesting concept, and winter has some of the best seasonal vegetables, so it’s a shame. Maybe it’s better in other seasons. I had the full vegan menu because I’m vegetarian. There are much better vegetarian meals in Aix for a lot less.

The food was bland throughout, and the dishes that should have been warm arrived cold. It was vegetarian and gluten-free, but tasteless. When I asked, I was told the chef and many of the regular staff had gone to Paris. That left me wondering why the restaurant was open and why people with reservations hadn’t been told. Why not offer a simpler, tastier alternative? The staff were pleasant but seemed largely untrained and didn’t notice what customers needed. We had to chase an aperitif, a glass of champagne, after waiting 15 minutes. This is a review of La Gout Du Bonheur Sunday Brunch at La Feniere. I found the experience at this purported one-star restaurant unacceptable, and felt insulted that the chef abandoned me and the other Sunday brunch customers. A half-price menu and complimentary aperitifs were offered, but that doesn’t excuse management’s poor judgment in opening under those conditions.

The food was fine, and the staff were friendly and trying their best, but dinner turned into a marathon of waiting. We waited over an hour for the first course, then another 45 minutes between courses. Every table around us seemed to be dealing with the same delays. The restaurant has potential, but La Table à la Campagne is badly understaffed right now. It’s an organisation problem, and until proper staffing and service are in place, diners who arrive with good expectations will keep being disappointed.

Amazing place. We really enjoyed the special lunch.