We walked by L’huitrière many times during our visits to Cancale before actually trying it. I guess we thought it cannot be good if the prices are so low. We were wrong.L’huitrière is run by a family of local oyster farmers. There are different menus and the prices start at 12€ (starter, main course, dessert), but one can also order outside the menus. Last week I ordered a fish soup for a starter and it was served with rouille, emmental cheese and croutons. It was a pleasure to eat my soup. For the main course I wanted to order the house specialty,  the skate fish served with cider-soaked cabbage and capers, but unfortunately I was told that the cabbage season ended some months ago! What a big disappointment. I love this dish (it is called raie aux câpres et son embeurré de choux au cidre and you can see it in the photo below). Instead, I chose the normal skate fish, and I did not like it. It came with an 80’s style white sauce, boiled vegetables and tagliatelle…

My husband ordered mussels and french fries, and loved the mussels (les moules marinières).As dessert I chose sorbet and one cannot go very wrong with that… Previously I have had Ile Flottante but I was just not that hungry any more. Next time however I will return to the “floating island” made of meringue.

I do think that for this low prices (12€!), it is worth eating at L’huitrière, but one should know something about ordering. My rules for future are these:

1) Stick to local ingredients (mussels, fresh oysters, whelks (boulots) and fish soup. Do not go for exotic options like squid –it is not native to Bretagne.

2) Ask for seasonal recommendations.

3) If the house specialty is available, have the skate fish with capers and cider cabbage. It is very tasty and a good combination of ingredients. Just be careful how to eat it (it comes with bones that can be tricky).

4) Mussels are available at most times of the year and are “always good”! They are a very safe choice.

L’huitrière,

14 Quai Gambetta, Cancale. Tel: +33-(0)2-99 89 75 05.

http://www.huitres-cancale.fr/fr_huitres-cancale/restaurant-a-cancale-p0-C27.html