La Marine

Alexandre Couillon rises at dawn to go to Noirmoutier fish auction, which sells the best Atlantic fish, before stopping by his own vegetable garden, just a few minutes from the restaurant. The tasting menu, which religiously keeps pace with the seasons and availability, exalts and celebrates fine ingredients, allowing them to shout their name with a simplicity that only the world’s top chefs can attain. Knowing what and where to strip back and pare down to release the flavours and tantalise the eater’s imagination is a fine art. The quality of the fish, seafood and vegetables is exceptional. Alexandre’s other talents include cooking over a fire, harvesting coastal plants, fruit coulis and vegetable pickles, broth and gutsy jus, without forgetting cooking fish to absolute perfection! Memories shine bright of both the mackerel cooked over hot embers and accompanied by confit beetroot or an incredible lettuce grilled over a flame, blueberries in elderflower vinegar and the dessert of buckwheat, caramel mousse, confit citrus fruits and sea lettuce (seaweed) sorbet. The interior has been revamped in natural materials and soft colours, while the grocery shop, Le Petit Couillon, sells produce from the artisans and farmer partners.