Reviewing Men Lann Du is a difficult task for me. I've been eating there every summer, often many…read moretimes per year, with my family since I was a kid, and vacation in the region isn't complete without a dinner at Men Lann Du. But I'll try to be objective. :-)
The decor is very nice, an old typical Breton house with a trodden earth floor, dark inside, lots of Bigouden artifacts decorating the walls, and a large fireplace to warm you up in winter.
Large choice of salty (buckwheat) and sweet (bread wheat) crêpes, some classic, some weird (such as the raclette crêpe...). After a slight drop in quality at the end of the 2000 decade, corresponding to the change of ownership, I think their taste is back to the top. Try the "forestière" crêpe for example... yum. If you're fed up with crêpes after weeks of vacation in Brittany, you can also order mussels: the ones with olive oil and garlic are fantastic. Drinks: the best is to order the local cider on draft.
But yes, there is a new owner for maybe 4-5 years. The good old times with Bastien, the old waiter stuttering in French but not in Breton, wiping his towel over the flambé crêpes to blow out the fire while the whole table shouts "olé !", are over. And yes, the new owner is grumpy and has his favorites. We sure get a preferential treatment since he knows us well... and since his restaurant is always full, he probably doesn't care about being nice with strangers. But well, I guess a dinner at Men Lann Du is something that has to be earned. Be smiling, be patient, forget the usual principle saying that customer is king, and you'll be rewarded.
The practical aspects: in the evening, you can reserve only for the first service at 7PM. After that, it's "first come first serve". In the summer (and during holidays such as Easter, Christmas...), if you don't arrive at 7PM sharp, don't bother to show up before 9:30PM because otherwise you'll wait for 45 minutes to 1 hour before you can get a table. Parking is easy. There are a few tables outside but they're just for apéritif, I've never see anyone having dinner outside.
If you have to wait, use your waiting time to (carefully) cross the road and see the prehistoric dolmen of Men Lann Du (which gave its name to the place and the restaurant, meaning the stone of the black moor) on the other side.
So what rating? My irrational bond to this place conflicts with my usually demanding habits about customer service and friendliness. At the end I must give it 5 stars because it's unique... but at least I told you all the little flaws that come with the package. :-)
