Restaurants are like people: some are big on the outside and small on the inside. Here, everything is grand—even the talent. Especially the talent. Not just the chef’s—though he certainly possesses a vision, a palate, and an ethic that are in a league of their own—but that of the entire team contributing to this “grand-scale” adventure. By placing a strong emphasis on France’s regional terroirs—a stance that might label him a reactionary who fails to appreciate the splendors of Japan and Peru—Jean-François Piège demonstrates the height of modernity. He doesn’t proclaim himself a defender or the ultimate bulwark against the invading forces of pizza and burgers—no, he simply does his job very well: highlighting the riches all around him—the ranchers, farmers, foragers, fishermen, and all those products that sustain the economy. So yes, we love everything about this Grand Restaurant—the affection for buttered radishes, monkfish liver, and tuna served as charcuterie-style appetizers; the dandelion plin with flower broth; that constant balance between rich and simple flavors, suddenly shifting to lobster simmered on vine shoots, flambéed with cognac, butternut squash, and vine leaves in tempura, a well-seasoned bisque, or even John Dory cooked in butter with carrot jus and early peas. Yes, everything is exceptional, without exception: Bresse chicken simmered with walnuts, snails, a sauce made with fermented garlic, a liver reduction, and a light mousseline purée—a marvel of smoothness and balance. For each dish, the regions of origin are listed, right down to the “blanc à manger,” which brings together Normandy and Tahiti for its vanilla. Excellent work by the chefs, in constant communication with the dining room staff, completely in sync with the atmosphere. An overflowing, immense wine cellar, with 5,000 labels on the menu, about 8,000 in total—a crazy amount of work for the head sommelier, who must memorize this treasure trove, with an entire page dedicated to Rayas, another to Bize Leroy, yet another to Rougeard—everything to create a world for wine lovers and even wine connoisseurs.
