Le Puits Doré – Hôtel Restaurant Logis

The hotel felt like part of the town, with a lively atmosphere and a mix of local people and visitors. The employees were friendly and helpful, and we felt well looked after. Our room was pleasant and looked out over the square toward the church. We had dinner there and breakfast the next morning. The menu was limited, but the food was tasty, the service was good, and we enjoyed the evening. After a restful night, we woke up refreshed and continued our trip south.

It was packed when we arrived late, so we had to wait a little for service. The waiter was juggling things with so few staff, but still stayed friendly and kept smiling. The food was well worth what we paid, a notch better than most places in the same price range. I'd happily come back.

The two people who ordered lamb enjoyed it and called it delicious, and the other steak was at least edible. Mine, though, was a different story. I'd asked for it medium, but the beautifully presented steak was tough and completely brown inside. The waiter offered a replacement, which I accepted after explaining the problem. It took a while to come back. When it did, the steak was blue and cold in the middle, so raw that I could barely cut it and couldn't chew it. The waiter argued that the first one had been medium and suggested I'd asked for it differently, then said they'd undercooked the replacement to match what I wanted. By then everyone else had finished, and I felt embarrassed. I ate the sweet potato fries because I was hungry. When the waiter checked, I said the steak was inedible. He offered a third, but I declined since the meal was over for my table and the evening already felt ruined by the argument and the poor food. Later, another waiter clearing the plates rudely asked whether I wanted a doggy bag for the meat. I said no. This was meant to be a special dinner: my family had reunited for the first time in 17 years, and we were celebrating a birthday. We'd been looking forward to eating out together and talking about the menu all day. It was small, with just five dishes, which usually suggests good food, and the waiter had been accommodating about a substitution, so we all chose meals we were happy with. I didn't order dessert and waited while the others finished, then asked for the bill and paid, including the 20€ for the steak that had been badly cooked twice. Those were probably the most expensive sweet potato fries in the world. I'm a real food lover and had been excited for this dinner. I love steak and have eaten it all over the world; France has usually been reliable for getting the cooking right. This was the worst experience I've had, exceptionally disappointing and thoroughly spoiled the evening for everyone at the table. If you're expecting your steak to be cooked correctly, avoid Puits Doré.

I keep coming back to Puits Doré, in one of my favourite towns anywhere, and it's consistently a very good hotel. The dinners have seemed even better over the past couple of years. I can't say whether there's a new chef, but whoever's in the kitchen is really excellent. I've probably reviewed this terrific place on other sites before, and I'm glad to add a few more comments. Visit soon. I know I'll be back.