Denen Kanttua

And they’re back for round two! Three years after leaving their Biarritz spot, Fanny and François Lemarié (ex-Chéri Bibi) are back in action at a brand-new Basque joint, in Saint-Jean-de-Luz this time around. And they’re reviving the feasting spirit and the ghost of good times at this corner bistro named Denen Kanttua (“everyone’s corner”), which boasts old-fashioned tomette tile floors, timeworn banquettes and Formica-topped tables. But the wines are very much alive and the dishes vibrant! The night we went, all of the following was prepared by the chef duo Mathilde Denuncq and Julien Rivoiron: a tantalizing blood sausage croquette for the apéro; silky corn soup with sauce vierge for a bright pop of color; skate with buttery, lemony, caper-heavy sauce grenobloise; breaded eggplant, prepared Milanese style and cooked to such golden perfection that even a meat-lover would drool contemplating it… Also eyeballed on nearby tables: a fig tart with a dollop of raw cream, victim of its own success when it was our turn to order… Boo! FYI: the team does pop-ups one Saturday night a month. // Rose Clince

FEELING THIRSTY? : The couple still has wine in their blood, and offers up a 200-strong collection of natural wines in house: Le Petit Clou Des Vents, a Duras merlot produced by Sylvain Jougla (€6 a glass), Roger, an Aveyron rosé from the Domaine Le Verdus (€27 a bottle), Supernova, a Rhone pet’ nat’ by Paul Chabal (€40)… Plus beer on tap from the Eguzki brewery.
PRICE: : Dish of the day €16, bistro set menu €20 (dish of the day + glass of wine) and €25 (lunch), à la carte €33-48 (dinner).