Mary-Max Jean-Luc - Masseret

Our second time here for an evening meal and once again "l'équipe" managed to come up with the goods. O.K. it's a good half hour walk from Masseret itself (a few minutes easy drive but then one can't have a drink!) but is so convenient for the attractive but simple Masseret-Lamongerie campsite that one could happily stay there and eat out several times. Sadly there's no fixed price menu but with one menu option being a superbly cooked "piece de boeuf", a.k.a. steak - we think rump, for a mere 11euros who cares. There's only three starters and none will meet the approval of veggies, even the one that looks as though it will as there's slices of dried, smoked magret de canard included but not mentioned on the menu. For the same reason the salads may also freak veggies/vegans out unless care is made to tell the youthful, enthusiastic & friendly staff, several of whom speak English. Puds look good but we tend to choose the "café gourmand" as this provides a small espresso, a selection of small dessert items and a somewhat diminutive liqueur. It's a great way to end a meal without the expence of paying for a coffee and digestif.Oh and there can be music thrown in at this delightful and very popular lakeside venue in addition to special event themed nights either at Mary-Max itself or in the parkland in which it sits.Let's come clean on the rating. I really think it's worth a 5 but the lack of a choice fixed price menus, the nearby Hotel de la Tour run by the same family offers three, and the issues that veggies/vegans may face (to be honest this is France after all, and a beef producing area too, so what would one expect!) means that I have to be brutally honest and only rate it at 4*.Oh and you can get proper drinks at the restaurant bar, i.e. metric pints (500ml)! Mind you, you do pay for them - another issue with France as beers in a bar ain't cheap.