Notes - La Nauve

Rating: 14
Author: Gault&Millau

16100 COGNAC

14/20
Chef's Restaurant

BOOK

10 PHOTOS

Chef: Anthony Carballo
Cooking: French | Gastronomic
Style: Elegant | Romantic | With family

Budget (€)

Indicative price per person (excl. drinks)

85 to 125

Gault&Millau's review 2026

A stone's throw from Cognac, sheltered in a 4.5-hectare park watched over by a hundred-year-old sequoia, La Nauve is first and foremost a XIXᵉ century manor house, restored with rare meticulousness by Éric Daigre and a cohort of local craftsmen. It's also a herb garden, a greenhouse, beehives, a canal and a pontoon on the Charente: the decor impresses without seeking effect, like the silent manifesto of discreet luxury. Inside, neo-classical elegance is evident in every detail: woodwork, gilding, silky curtains and round tables topped with white tablecloths create a distinguished setting. Anthony Carballo's cuisine is precise and sincere, rooted in a terroir he knows from the inside out. The trout lollipop with herb emulsion opens the ball with freshness; a pig's trotter chip, topped with cassoulet cream, pays tribute to the chef's roots, with just the right amount of audacity. Foie gras marbled with wild licorice, flanked by umami-flavored candied shallots, asserts a clean, uncluttered, unmannered style. The lean meat, gently steamed, melts into a judicious "sauce à manger" containing peas and trout roe, as if inspired by a gribiche. The poultry, contised under the skin and enhanced with an oxidative pineau sabayon, is reminiscent of the finest Bresse meats; its crispy skin, a rare delicacy, precedes a tartlet of confit thighs and girolles with concise jus. The dessert, a bold alliance of raspberry and tarragon, refreshes the spirit and concludes with grace. Mignardises and homemade chocolates extend this attention to detail. The cellar impresses with its balance of grands crus, cutting-edge winegrowers and regional discoveries; the well-thought-out by-the-glass menu asserts a real sense of choice. However, the wine service could be better matched to the rhythm of the plate: the glasses sometimes arrive out of sync. Buoyed by a precise cuisine and an excellent setting, the house will reach its full balance when the service becomes more fluid.