At Rooster (a carefully decorated neo-bistro with a marbled bar, globe light fixtures and shiny salamander grills), Marseille-native Frédéric Duca (ex-Racines in New York) produces some marvelous eats, with an added Mediterranean accent to boot. The day we went for lunch, the prix-fixe menu featured: roasted fennel and clams plunged into a sublime mascarpone-lemon emulsion, with a few squid ink tuiles; or another emulsion that was just as magical, made with curry and a shellfish jus, camouflaging a perfectly pearly white pollack fillet, a silky lemon/orange purée and fregola; before some caramelized apple slices made without adding sugar, placed atop a delightful lavender crème diplomate. Although, we should mention that the chef plays his most sentimental hits on the à la carte selection: marinated bluefin tuna with harissa and plums; lobster with coco de Paimpol beans and a verbena-infused bisque; veal sweetbreads and shellfish… which you can also sample on the five-course tasting menu. // G.LeP.
FEELING THIRSTY? Wines that aren’t exactly cheap and a few natural gems: an Apulia red from Valentina Passalacqua (€9 a glass), a Saumur-Champigny red from Sébastien Bobinet (€60), Athénaïs, a Chablis from Béru (€85)…
PRICE: Menus €28-34 (lunch) and €75, à la carte €65-77.
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