"La Madrague is slightly off the beaten track, but it's worth the extra few minutes stroll along the harbour from the epicentre of Valras Plage. This also means that it has less of the feel of a brash holiday/tourist restaurant and more the atmosphere of a stylish local's institution. The interior is cool and airy ceiling fans, bleached wood, neutrals and whites. No fishing nets and glass balls stapled to the ceiling here. Not an orange wall, plastic mermaid or fluorescent bulb in sight. Yay! We hadn't booked (and we were, in fact, tourists) so were placed on the outer edge of the room. Next time we'll reserve a table on the terrace or at the front, in the swing of things. We ordered coupes of champagne to begin proceedings and relished in rolling the bubbles across out tongues whilst reading the menu. Gazing at the bobbing boats in the harbour, a balmy sea breeze ruffling the pristine tablecloths, the chatter, clanks and smells of a busy but smoothly run operation. It imbued confidence for a good night ahead. Apart from finding a tenner on the pavement, what finer feeling? We had one order of oysters, fresh and beautifully presented on a mound of ice and seaweed. We also started with the plumpest razor clams we've had, juicy and swimming in persillade, that required chunks of baguette dipped in and then wiped around the plate. Never mind decorum when there's parsley flavoured butter to be mopped up. Our main courses were one special of turbot sauvage and another of scallops with chorizo. The wild turbot was huge, creamy sliding off the bone and swimming into the bouche. The scallops were equally succulent and that garlicky, smoky, spicy chorizo combo works so well. Whoever thought of that in the first place anyway? Was it the same person that thought up Bayonne ham with figs? Or M&Ms with salted popcorn? Or Jaffa Cakes with Stilton......or is that just me. Each main course came with three little ramekins, filled with delicious vegetables: ratatouille; creamed spinach; mashed potato with rouille. We had a bottle of Languedoc white wine, from an extensive and, I'm assured by those who care about that stuff, a reasonably priced list. Tragically, we were too full for anything else and wanted to wander around town for a coffee, so we stopped there. The bill was around €90. Call me paranoid, but in the very first instance, I felt that perhaps our welcome wasn't as unconditionally warm as it might have been because we were the dreaded bemused and wide eyed tourist, about to murder the menu with ghastly pronunciation and hunting down well done steak. However, the service was excellent and everyone was very friendly and chatty once we'd explained that our hotel manager had recommended the restaurant as one of his own personal favourites. Either way, we can't wait to go back whether they want us there or not. Bonus fact: La Madrague is not a jittery J Cloth, it's a large sort of fishing net used to catch tuna. Don't say I never learn you nuffing."
