We dined on a Sunday - difficult to arrange in France. The menus were well priced and the food competent. Clearly there are touches betraying the owner-chef's time in New Zealand. And these add to the foodie experience.

A neat menu at €16.00, though the fish of the day was simply the cabillaud (cod) offered on the €23.50 menu. The sauce on both fish dishes was too tart - over-powerful lemon skin flavour. The higher cost menu was excellent value - and showed Asian touches unusual in France.

The soup of the day was clearly home-made - and a winner; and the sweets on all menus were excellent.

I expect the house wine in French restaurants to be an advertisement of the standards of the place. Here - well maybe it wasn't a good year ..... But the local beer was pronounced very good (CAMRA member).

We went here while visiting parents and were absolutely delighted! Fantastic food (helpfully there are several levels of set menus - top not cheap!) in lovely surroundings with fabulous service. Unsurprisingly the restaurant was full - Suggest you reserve at weekend.. The whole experience was lovely - I couldnt recommend more.

We stayed two nights at La Goule Beneze and can highly recommend it. Cathy who runs it is charming and will do her best to let you speak French no matter how bad you are!
The rooms are comfortable and clean. We had a room at the back with a shower and thought it great value for money. The only thing missing was a hair dryer which would have been useful with teenage daughters. The food was excellent and the service friendly and efficient, despite the Sunday night being very busy in the restaurant. There is a small terrace which you can sit out on during the day and Cathy will bring very reasonably priced drinks. It is good stop over point for anyone travelling further down to the South West and only a day trip to La Rochelle. However the town itself is very pretty and worth a look round.

My wife and I stayed here for two nights every two weeks throughout Jan, Feb, March 2008 whilst our house was being renovated. Further we eat there about once every month and have done since Aug 2007. If you are in Saint Jean go there it is great you will be made most welcome the staff are great...we were once asked b yCatherine 'why do the englsih come here so much..we are a normal French Resturant' If you go there you will know why there are a great couple and highly recommended by us....It is now Sept 2008 and we still very much enjoy thier menu
John and Heather Whitehead