La Parenthèse sur Mont-De-Marsan

18/06/2026: The meal was very good, but the cashier's language definitely needs improvement. Unsolicited insults were unnecessary.

14/06/2026: Yes, but... This review, which is entirely my own, concerns a high-end establishment, or rather, an establishment that charges high prices, hence my reservations. I'm posting it for those who are lucky enough to have friends who will treat them to a 6-course tasting menu (without drinks) for a hefty 90 euros per person. We couldn't go whenever we wanted, but oh well... we went anyway. The weather was beautiful and warm, and we were in the (rather ordinary) outdoor courtyard of the restaurant with three other couples. Upon arrival, we were offered water—still or sparkling—so we ordered still water (which cost us 7 euros at the end of the meal). Then they brought us the wine list, or rather, the wine bible. I must say, we were a little taken aback by the almost endless selection of wines and their prices (about three to five times the price of a bottle). Anyway, we had a very ordinary 8-euro kir as an aperitif. Since we didn't want to pay between 8 and 18 euros for a glass of wine or 60 euros for an ordinary bottle, we ordered a 26-euro bottle from a well-known winemaker in Gascony whose wine sells for 7 euros in supermarkets. The dishes on the menu were beautifully presented and quite good, even very good (that's 15 euros each, though), but that's undeniable—it's the work of a chef. What really bothered us was that, with such a high-priced menu, we weren't offered an aperitif and wine pairings upfront. Quite frankly, the food was good, but it lacked that extra something, and I think the wine pairing was largely to blame, as was the disproportion between what should have been a memorable experience and the price.