Tucked away behind Collioure’s beachfront, Le Tremail has been in Collioure since forever and stands as a bastion of local cuisine. This quaint restaurant is a true representation of the area's gastronomic richness where every dish is a tribute to the local flavours and traditional cooking methods.

Le Tremail won’t win any awards for inventiveness – they are definitely not reinventing the wheel – but, they do a lot of the classics rather well, though if it’s too busy, standards can slip.

The 'Soupe de poisson' is a robust fish soup that carries the essence of the sea in each spoonful. Laden with the freshest catch and served with the traditional rouille sauce, croutons and cheese - it’s an authentic taste of maritime France.

The 'Assiette de la mer' covers all the bases with a platter of seafood that changes with the catch of the day, ensuring an exciting new experience with every visit.

'Filet de boeuf' is nicely cooked – not too rare, but not cooked to death -  nice and tender and paired with a sauce that complements rather than overwhelms, it’s a good bet for meat lovers.

'Moules marinières' is a real test of a restaurant – there are so many bad versions out there – it’s a classic French dish (or Belgian – if you’re from Belgium) that Le Trémail serves with pride. The mussels, bathed in a garlic and white wine broth, are of course served with a generous amount of crusty pain to dunk in it, as well some nice and crispy French fries.

'Crème Catalane' – as a connoisseur of this famed dessert, I can give it a full thumbs up - the crisp caramelized top giving way to a velvety custard is the perfect endnote to a meal that is both comforting and relaxing.