Chef Ernst is really healthy! You can tell! There's no need to shake his hand or go on Facebook! A meal will do! Mauricette, who dreams only of vol au vents and her own napkin ring, and I get several thrills out of one meal. At our advanced ages you must understand that we can't afford to put things off. So we would like to share our pleasure with institutional critic potentates, but that's another ball game. Two menus: one at 34 € and the other at 48 €. The first being for the lady with the green hat who slips away with her "lotte en vapeur d'algues et copeaux de chorizo" (steamed monkfish and seaweed, slivers of chorizo), it is supple and impeccable, 16/20. She follows with "filet de boeuf, polenta crémeuse et petits légumes" (beef, creamy corn semolina and small vegetables), just like the starter both flavour and colour are perfect. As for me, I'm not telling! Well, I am. A "menu découverte" with five courses! To start is a work of art: "aiguillette de St Pierre aux coquillages du "Moment", beignet de sauge en émulsion d'herbes aromatiques iodées" (John Dory slivers with shellfish of the "Moment", sage fritter and iodized aromatic herb emulsion). Exceptional! Christian Ernst has always enjoyed playing with subtle contrasts, associating land and sea. 16,5/20. Next comes "pot au feu de foie gras en ravioles ouvertes, écume d'épices" (boiled open foie gras ravioli, spicy sauce), it is a show of simmered gastronomic cooking with grand finesse.

There's just a bit too much foie gras! That's telling you! 16/20. Then "quasi de veau clouté au citron et gingembre confit, croustillant de fruits secs aux épices" (veal with lemon and ginger, fruit and spice cake), it is as surprising as clever and precise. Someone once said: "great subjects are judged for their detail". 16/20. Cheese? You bet! "Crumble de St Marcelin en croustillant" served in an iron pot. Dessert time now! Let me remind you that Christian Ernst partook brilliantly in patisserie championships! "Accent marseillais revisité", it presents a spread of creative flavours from Marseille and thereabouts: navette, almonds, Rove brousse cheese... 15,5/20. The most amazing being "croustillant praliné, crème passion et crème légère à la vanille" (crisp pralin, passion fruit cream and light vanilla cream) that Mauricette knights with a last 16/20. Here is noble craftsmanship that fills all of the senses, and is carried out without snobbery. The colours are right, flavours once forgotten bring back memories and new ones are discovered. The wine menu, which is explained by a pedagogical sommelier, is great, easy peasy. And as charming Florence Ernst takes the worries of administrative work off her husband's hands, he is free to use body and soul for his cuisine! Here is a reference as one would say.