I came in 2014 and it was already excellent, l'Essentiel is on my "to eat" list when I visit the…read morePays Bigouden. Fresh seafood with original preparation, main courses are perfectly cooked (fish or meat) and desserts are sophisticated.

OK, 3 stars only, that may sound tough, because the food is extra fresh, really, the fish looks…read morelike it has made only a few meters between the trawler and your plate (and it's probably true, given the location of the restaurant in the middle of the harbor) - and if you're lucky enough to get a table by a window, you'll enjoy the nice view to the sea, or to the boats resting inside the harbor... What is more, the waiters are very nice and the owner may even come to greet you at the end of your meal. So what's wrong? Well I've been disappointed by the taste of the food, and people of my family who go there from time to time share my opinion. Again, don't get me wrong, it doesn't taste bad, at the risk of sounding like a broken record everything in your plate is super fresh... but it's not enough to make a great experience. It's not really tasty, not really spicy, not really entertaining, it just falls flat and your taste buds may just get bored. And when the chef tries to be imaginative and exotic, the result is slightly pathetic (the Breton-Japanese wok... *eyes rolling*). Plus, it's pretty expensive (count on 15 to 25 euros for a main dish - the infamous wok costs 22 euros) and the service is sloooooow. The atmosphere of a harbor canteen is nice, it could have been a chic, laid-back, almost bobo place-to-be, the prices are already at that level - too bad the taste of the food is the only missing piece.

Summary: Modern french cuisine for old people. Much…read morepotential, but not perfect. I love that the chef prepares a daily menu based on what can be found at the market each day, including an appetizer, a fish or meat main course, and dessert. Pick 2 for 15€, or all 3 for 19.90€. They also offer several a la carte options, but it seems everybody gets the menu of the day. The decor is modern and whimsical, I especially liked the glass floor with the beach diorama below. The one waitress working the room was attentive and eager to please, although not fluent in English. Lucky for us, our French is okay, and our menu reading skills are top notch. Today's menu: Amuse bouche: sliced salami, smoked salmon mouse on a thin crust, and ham and melted cheese between toasts. Not especially daring nor avant garde, but tasty enough--a good indicator of the meal to come. Appetizer: herbed chèvre layered between apple slices and a side of arugula salad. Gorgeous presentation. The plate was drizzled with a lovely basil pesto as well as aged balsamic, and the cheese had surprising curry and cumin flavor on top. I'm not usually one to complain about too much cheese (ever) but the ratio was off on this dish, even if the goat cheese was superb, the quantity overwhelmed the apple slices. Main course: Wifey had the duo of fish (salmon and whitefish) in a beurre blanc sauce. The fish was cooked PERFECTLY, although a little over salted. It came with ribbons of cooked carrot and zucchini, as well as a spinach soufflé that I thought was lovely but she didn't care for. I had the lamb stew, which I liked, but wifey found off somehow. It came with green beans that were past overlooked, and mashed potatoes that were lumpy and lukewarm, despite the hot plate. It also came with a quenelle of finely chopped mushrooms that were delicious. Dessert: chocolate 4 ways: ice cream, macaron, flour-less cake, and mousse. The ice cream and macaron were fine, but the mousse seized up and was grainy beyond acceptable. The cake didn't taste much like chocolate, compared to everything else on the plate it was forgettable. I'm pretty sure we were the only people there under 60, so maybe the overcooked veggies and unadventurous food is cooking to their core audience. I was hoping for more, maybe my expectations were high after reading all the 5 star reviews. The bill for two came out to 70€ including drinks and tip.