La Tonnelle à Vins is already just a distant memory, now that Graille has taken over the space so successfully… A beautiful spot from Pierre-Yves Robic, a bearded guy in glasses who learned his trade at Le Bistrot Cocagne before turning this bistro-style wine bar into a respectable haunt of western Rennes. Ready to feast? Take a seat at the long bar covered in turquoise zellige tiles or at one of the vintage tables, observing the open kitchen with its terrazzo tile backsplash on the wall… and dig into cleverly made plates, the work of chef Jean-Baptiste Von Hayep, a trained delicatessen who used to work at Les Grands Gamins. The night we went, he sent out all of the following: a pork terrine like a French grandma might make, aroused by the house curry mix; charred leeks with citrus, sumac and toasted hazelnuts; a fantastic ramen-inspired chicken broth, with a tamago egg and a leek and nori condiment; along with shiitake mushrooms topped with tomme de Savoie cheese and baked in the oven, draped over a mushroom cream and titillated by a carrot top pesto. After all that, there was no more room for dessert… Other interesting options include the shared sausage for the table (the house specialty) or the pork cheeks cooked in a kamado grill. Our conclusion? This bistro might just become your new favorite HQ. // Catherine Jamon
FEELING THIRSTY? : Cheeky beers, ciders and wines: Le Petit Bonbon, a locally-produced sour from the Brasserie du Vieux Singe, a collab with Le Marchand de Bière (€6.80 for 330 ml), a Cheverny from Hervé Villemade (€6 a glass), Puszta Libre, an Austrian red from Claus Preisinger (€34 a bottle), Jean Renard dry cider from La Cidrerie de l’Apothicaire (€22)…
PRICE: : Set menus €16-23 (lunch), small “grailles” (aka plates) from €6.50 to €12.50, big “grailles” from €13 to €18.50 (dinner).
