A very clever Cabale is playing out near the Marché de la Batte… Power couple Tina Beridze (a former interior designer, front-of-house) and chef Yann Stroobant (formerly of Le Danieli and Le Moment), who are more neo-bistro than politico, are conspiring to introduce the Ardent City to Georgian cuisine, in a majestic space with lots of tiles, wood and bricks. Tina’s mom’s secret recipes were given a twist the day we went: dried flowers with Georgian utsho-suneli spices served sandwiched between two slices of grilled eggplant with walnut sauce, balsamic caramel, pomegranate seeds and pickled onion; magic flash-seared scallops playing fakir on a bed of toasted hazelnuts, an interplay of hot and (very) cold with scallop coral sorbet; tender celeriac gnocchi energized by a coffee sauce; or some divine duck ravioli painted in nasturtium oil. Before an excellent sunchoke dessert – crème diplomate, salted caramel, crumble and ice cream – prepared by Tristan Hardenne. A true culinary voyage! // Mireille Flocon
FEELING THIRSTY? There are house cocktails crafted by Loris Lecomte (a sour gin infused with kumquats, bergamot syrup and lemon juice, €10) and a selection of Georgian wines, guided by the Blaes clique, most of which are natural: Ti o… o!, a Caucasian skin-contact wine produced by Gogo’s Wine (€60), Saperavi, a red from Nika Winery (€45), Super Ravi, a red from Lapati Wines (€40)…
PRICE: Tasting menu €60, food and wine pairings €35.
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