L'Oustal - Uzès

We arrived just as the Saturday market was closing up, having driven up from Beziers....we know the restaurants around the Place aux Herbes fairly well and would generally avoid most of them in favour of places we feel serve great food at reasonable prices and don't cater to the 'one visit' tourist market....unfortunately most of the places we would have chosen were closing after the lunch service and this was a hasty decision (quickly regretted I have to say) having realised they were open all day. The restaurant looks appealing, under the arches, but don't be fooled....rude service and what I can only describe as 'just about edible' food....we ordered the 'seafood platter' which consisted of about four pieces of tough and rubbery squid, 1 prawn, two overcooked mussels and a few pieces of tuna/salmon. We asked for a side salad rather than the advertised 'legumes' and received a few tired and seen better days leaves swimming in oil.....I can't really remember as I prefer to wipe the memory of this meal from my mind, but I think the bread was ok! Oh and we had to query the bill as we had been charged for two coffees when we only ordered one and an additional salad had been added on......if you eat here, don't say you weren't warned :) !

L'outal sits in the main square and has a lovely ambiance about it. The food, the service and the value for money was excellent. I had the burger which was the best I have had and my wife had the tuna steak. Very nice and highly recommended.

Family meal on an evening out in Uzes. Good service as they were able to seat 9 of us without a reservation. Waiter was chirpy and polite and was able to translate my poor french for some complex requests. The food though was not great, especially the steak, which required superhuman strength to cut and digest. If you're really hungry, and have nowhere else booked then this is an acceptable choice, but don't expect high quality cuisine.

The waiter barely cracked a smile throughout and was very put out when we asked to be moved to a table in the shade once the sun had moved, making a clear point that he had told us at the start that the location would be sunny. Clearly not French speakers it was apparent that we didn't understand his original recommendation and it was hardly a hardship to entertain this simple request. He was plainly hot, bothered and not in the mood to serve customers, also snipping at the other two female wait staff. He bypassed our table several times and it took a while to order. He also took exception to my pronunciation of "tartare". Apparently a huge faux pas in his books. It's regrettable that someone supposedly in the service industry can't conduct themselves with a little charm and understanding. Lovely location, comfortable chairs. Two stars for the food and location. Give it a big miss. Life's too short to spend a lunch in Provence feeling like an imposition.

I don't know which was better, the setting in the middle of the square or the food! Sitting here and eating and enjoying the Place aux Herbes at night as it got dark and the lights came on was so special. But the food was just as good as the setting...and so good that we went back and had exactly the same mixed grill with terrific fish the next night! So special....