Ineffable

In a small Provençal village with bags of character, Ineffable promises diners a feast for the senses. The restaurant is run by a couple with a passion for what they do: Nicolas Thomas and Marie Salomez (previously of La Promenade, La Flibuste, Château de Courban). This space with a decor of exposed stone walls and contemporary furnishings, and animated by a soundscape of soothing birdsong has just five tables. The chef riffs on poetic culinary leitmotifs, marrying olives and olive wood, plants and seafood (even meat on the larger set menu). A music lover, he has a sense for timing and harmony, as demonstrated by his composition of vegetables topped with a smoked cream.

• Five-table dining room in Barbentane.
• Run by chef Nicolas Thomas with Marie Salomez leading the room.
• A poetic through-line that plays olive and vegetable against iodised, sea-leaning flavours.

Signature Ingredients

• Olive and olive oil.
• Seasonal vegetables.
• Seafood notes and iodised broths.
• Lentils, used toasted for crunch.
• Parsley and white asparagus, used in deliberately unexpected pairings.

A single market-led menu, presented as five moments

• One menu that changes with the market, renewed week to week.
• Vegetable-led cooking that plays olive and Mediterranean notes against iodised seafood accents.
• Designed and run as a duo between kitchen and dining room.