A Japanese-inspired seafood joint that’s just a stone’s throw away from the Ciboure fish market almost seems like an obvious choice…. But in this wooden, dimly-lit den from Léna Balacco (the former owner of La Chambre aux Oiseaux and Sésame in Paris), things are crystal clear: you’re gonna get organic ingredients, fish purchased day of, and plates stitched together unpretentiously by Japanese chef Kanako Makino. For us, the day we went for lunch: a slice of tamagoyaki omelet with tomato and a dash of mirin, paired with bonito sashimi brushed in tangy shoyu sauce; before some delicious chasoba (green tea noodles) served cold with sesame-fried tofu, grated carrots, watermelon, red cabbage and tsuyu – a sauce made from soy sauce, mirin and dashi. And for anyone with a sweet tooth, there’s black sesame panna cotta, gluten-free Basque cake from La Maison Miette, matcha crème brûlée or homemade adzuki bean or sesame mochi. // H.Z.
FEELING THIRSTY? Fresh juices of the day (€6 a glass), and low-intervention wines – Poivre d’Ane, a Languedoc white (€5 a glass), a Loire white from Alexis Hudon (€23 a bottle), a Beaujolais from Sylvère Thichard (€26) – and a few sakes – sho chiku bai served hot (€6 a glass), or tokubetsu (€10).
PRICE: Menus €17-22 (lunch) and €24-32 (dinner), desserts €6-7.
