We visited the Mise on Oevre (MEO) in Tarascon in October 2010. It was recommended as the best or at least one of the best Restaurants there by the patron of the little hotel we were staying in and he was very friendly and seemed to us very trustworthy. And there is no doubt he was in general. The recommended MEO, however, left somewhat of a mixed impression.
Other than you might expect in France that was not due to the service or the interior, both of which we enjoyed very much. As for the interior: it is fantastic, if, of course, you like a rather baroque style. There is lots of stuff, different kinds of interior and decoration, lots of colors mixed. That might sound strange (at least to a Bauhaus-trained German) but it works very well indeed.
The service is unconventional yet very warm and friendly. We felt very welcome.
The issue at the MEO is the core product the food. It is surely not bad. But it is not too good either. There are some highlights (the meat) but also some very sad cases (the dessert). Here are some of our concerns:
The waitress offered two kinds of Olive oil to us, only to mention that on is bio and the other not. That left the impression that the other one is inferior. There is no point then in offering it at all.
The fish (Tuna) was conceptionally very good but the practical doing needs some refinement. While it should be well grilled outside the inside should be really raw and maintain the natural structure of the fish (as opposed to not just not well done). Some seasoning might also be desirable.
The vegetables that came with the fish might also need some more creativity. While technically good they lack the certain something. Also both, the fish and the vegetables, were simply too much, hard to eat for a tourist as opposed to a coal miner.
The meat (boeuf and fois gras) was exceptionally good, and that should be mentioned. Therefore it is especially sad to combine it with rather uninspired potato wedges with sort of a fast food feel to it. A gratin or simply a salad would feel better.
The cheese came too cold (in France!) to develop its full taste.
The dessert menu was cramped with stuff, which is typically a bad sign since it is nearly impossible for any kitchen without a specialized desert chef to handle more than two or three desserts properly. And indeed: the mousse au chocolat was, well, not very good at all. As a dessert junky I very much recommend to limit the desert menu to only two or three choices but then to do them very, very well. The desert is the last thing of the meal and thus the first thing to remember. Therefore the desert should leave a good impression which the mousse simply did not.
With all that being said: we really enjoyed the evening, and therefore I am somewhat tempted to rate four stars. But then the main concerns I have are in the core product of a restaurant, and that is the food; additionally, the dishes are of a slightly upper medium price level. Therefore it is a three with a remark that nevertheless the MEO is a nice place to spend an evening in. You might want to put some emphasis on the drink side. read more
