Mussels with red onion and saffron emulsion: there is not much we can add. The cuisine of L’Astrance does not seek special effects—rather, it is rooted in impeccable ingredients prepared with intelligence, simplicity and respect. As Alain Chapel used to say “The great protagonist is the raw material—our duty as chefs should be not to ruin it.” The difference is in the great technical aptitude, the profound sensibility and sharp intuition of Pascal Barbot.

The bouillons of La Pinte des Mossettes are some of the best I have ever tasted: intense in flavor and, at the same time, extremely delicate and richly nuanced. In this dish, a tasty chicken broth, perfumed with small pieces of black truffle, is combined with ravioli of the finest pasta stuffed with a fricassee of turnips and mushrooms. The menus created by Judith Baumann and Jean Bernard Fasel, co-owner of the restaurant, are developed in a real focused vein that contributes to the pleasure of the palate.

A small masterpiece made with contrasts. The salted white chocolate bonbon coated in black sesame seeds offsets the spicy dark chocolate bonbon coated in white sesame seeds. Black/white, sweet/salty, spicy/bitter: Carme Ruscalleda’s playfulness works perfectly, from an aesthetic point of view as well as from a flavorful one.

The fresh-pasta spaghetti is tossed into the boiling oil and cooked until crisp. The spaghetti is then served with two fried basil leaves and a spoonful of tomato purée. This is a plate that looks just wonderful, and, as it plays with the texture of the pasta (which doesn’t come any more al dente than this), it ironically renovates one of the symbols of the Italian gastronomic tradition.