Year after year, and now into his sixth, chef Aurélien Martin continues to work hard on a cuisine that is sincere, clear and deeply rooted in the product. Faithful to the seasons and new arrivals, he composes "carte blanche" menus where each plate recounts an idea, a texture, a contrast, without ever losing sight of the immediate pleasure of the table. Between French, Mediterranean and Asian influences, his cuisine plays with umami, bitters, light fermentations and clean juices, always at the service of overall coherence. Winter roots or spring vegetables, Mediterranean fish or long-simmered meats, each product is worked with respect and intelligence, in a cuisine that is both technical and generous. The sometimes confusing blind menu becomes a playground for chef and guest alike, full of controlled surprises and immediate pleasures. Beet on a red beet coulis flavored with Aleppo pepper; lean meat, marinated in miso and torch-burned, accompanied by black garlic and a surprising meringue with dashi broth; hake back and its beurre blanc punched with clementine on a black rice risotto; veal chuck with cabbage and iodized lentil espuma with anchovy; poached pear with bissap and saffron custard, escorted by ginger and celery ice cream.. are just a few examples, as the menu changes every month. Bravo to the attentive, smiling front-of-house team, led by Marie Lacoue, and to the richly-constructed wine list. Together, they create a place of character on the threshold of Old Nice, just off the touristy Cours Saleya.
Aurélien Martin Chef
