Le Saint-James

(Temporarily closed, reopening planned for July) An iconic establishment if ever there was one. For many years, Le Saint James was the realm of its avant-garde founder, chef Jean-Marie Amat; he commissioned Jean Nouvel to redesign his premises, which opened in 1989 and became a benchmark in design – and now they are to undergo major renovation works again. The restaurant pays tribute to Nouvelle-Aquitaine producers by elevating the fruits of their labours, from Gironde caviar to Bazas beef. Chef Mathieu Martin's appealing cuisine is refined, delicate and as fresh as can be, cf. the remarkable, perfectly cooked tuna from Saint-Jean-de-Luz. The chef makes no bones about his love of plants, eg tomatoes, plain and with chilli, clear soup. The legend of Le Saint James lives on!