Une Table au Sud

A cuisine charged with the temperament of chef Lionel Lévy, a young talent that forms a part of the new generation of emerging French chefs, integrated in the conceptual and technical renovation that is alive in culinary Europe. As a testimony to his sapid intrepidity, expressed with consummate balance, we find the sea bass and scorpion fish crumble – tuna is used in summer – with ginger and citrus fruits, inspired either by a ceviche or a tartar, releasing ardent, complementary sensations: acidic, spicy and sweet intermingling with the fish… served with diverse textures and an unmistakable mark. Gustatory originality, formal and intellectual, that is confirmed time and time again throughout: the sardines confit at low-temperature in olive oil over a lively bed of onion, peppers, tomato, black olives and pine nuts, along with a few red brushstrokes of tchoutchouka, a kind of ketchup, transmit the hot temperature of Provence. As a rule, the chef juxtaposes local, regional inspiration with a cosmopolitan, contemporary spirit, radiant with personality – a challenge from which he emerges most elegantly. At other times he reinterprets history with a disinhibited, slightly provocative spirit; this is the case in the “Bouille-Abaisse” milkshake, a layered glass of potato puree, egg cream with mascarpone, pieces of black scorpion fish, fish stock and an ethereal shellfish foam, an ensemble that treasures a distinctively Mediterranean flavor in which the garlic provokes without overwhelming, with the allure of a final testimony to succulence, a wheel of Parmigiano-reggiano presented separately so that the guests may serve themselves according to taste, substituting the traditional bread that one normally finds with such a soup. In short, an insightful, confident, succulent and convincing recreation of the most legendary recipe of the Provence region. That is the style of this calculated transgressor, impregnating the aromas of southern France with a moving freshness: cod risotto with white peach and lemon verbena perfumes. The strength, counterpoints, complexity, emotions, presentation, personality… a distinct desire and being hidden within each proposal. To leave no doubts: the smoked zucchini flowers with Genovese pesto and fresh fish of the day, such as sea bream, with zucchini à la niçoise impregnated with lemon thyme nuances. Ah! The black forest macaroni with ice cream sets off the indulgent adventure.
The menu is very concrete: a tasting menu or à la carte at a fixed price (52 €) between three starters, three main dishes and an equal number of desserts. The proposals change frequently, making it difficult to repeat the experience.
Lionel Lévy projects fantasy onto the landscape with an enormously colorful, flavorsome and unquestionable singularity. A work in progress.