Pottolo

Under the Petit-Bayonne neighborhood’s historic archways, Chiloa Gurmenta, the famous restaurant owned by granny Gilbert has given way to Pottolo (“chubby” in Basque) run by Guillaume Piquereau, a well-traveled La Rochelle native (New Zealand, Australia, Canada) who used to work at the Hôtel Ha(a)ïtza in Pyla-sur-Mer. The space has been given a facelift, with cushioned banquettes and a locavore menu: the other day at lunch, we enjoyed a lovely soft-boiled egg paired with white asparagus from the Landes department and a spoonful of hollandaise butter; a perfect Saint-Jean-de-Luz monkfish and chorizo skewer, deglazed in white wine, surfing atop mashed potatoes, with fennel glazed in orange juice; before a revisited opéra pastry made with Joconde biscuit, pistachio butter cream, chocolate ganache and tonka beans. Meanwhile, the menu of the day featured zucchini and mint gazpacho; eggplant and sheep moussaka; and strawberry cheesecake on a speculoos crust. // Gérard Roubeix 

FEELING THIRSTY? A short selection, featuring wines like Le Fil Rouge, a Marmandais from Le Boucon Rouge (€4 a glass), a Txakoli from Blai (€23 a bottle), Les Tuffes, a Saumur-Champigny from the Domaine des Sanzay (€23) and a Kupela Basque cider (€10 for 750 ml). 
PRICE: Menus €12-18 (lunch), à la carte €28, brunch €20 (Saturday and Sunday).