Le Skiff Club
Pyla-sur-Mer, France
⭐2 Stars
The Experience
From Michelin Guide
In this 1930s Basque hotel nestled in a pine forest and redesigned by Philippe Starck, Le Skiff Club restaurant is a veritable haven with its cosy little dining area decorated in the style of a yacht club. Stéphane Carrade is a talented and skilled captain, cooking up delightful progressive terroir cuisine, in a superb celebration of the Aquitaine region of southwest France. This is a chef who combines generosity and finesse in dishes such as courgette flower stuffed with duxelles and spider crab, green crab soup with pain d'épice, and blue lobster grilled over wood from Bordeaux wine barriques, aubergine with chanterelles and bone marrow, Ha(a)ïtza sauce. Finally, Alexandre Blay's desserts keep all the promises this restaurant makes: his work with chocolate – cf. his confit of barbecued prunes and Biscarrosse black garlic with port, warm ganache and ice cream with hints of liquorice – combines finesse and originality.
Unique Things
From Visitor Experiences
1. Unique Setting and Design by Philippe Starck
Le Skiff Club is housed in a 1930s Basque hotel nestled in a pine forest and has been redesigned by the renowned designer Philippe Starck. The interior evokes the atmosphere of a classic yacht club with an art nouveau and Tuscan style, creating a cozy yet sophisticated ambiance that is quite unconventional for a Michelin-starred restaurant.
2. Strong Local Ingredient Focus with Seasonal Menus
The restaurant emphasizes sourcing over 50% of its ingredients locally, reflecting a deep connection to the Arcachon Bay region. This commitment to local produce allows the chef, Stéphane Carrade, to offer a seasonal menu that elevates simple products into refined French cuisine, which is a distinctive approach compared to more globalized fine dining menus.
3. Integration within a Luxury Experience at Ha(a)ïtza Hotel
Le Skiff Club is part of the Ha(a)ïtza hotel complex, a 5-star luxury establishment that includes a spa, cocktail bar, patisserie, and lifestyle store. This integration offers guests a comprehensive luxury experience beyond dining, including wellness and boutique shopping, making the restaurant part of a broader lifestyle destination rather than just a standalone eatery.
Ingredient Stars
From Visitor Experiences
The most honored or signature ingredients at the Michelin-starred restaurant Le Skiff Club in Pyla-sur-Mer are:
Spider crab: Featured notably in dishes such as courgette flower stuffed with duxelles and spider crab, this ingredient highlights the restaurant's connection to local seafood and showcases refined, delicate flavors.
Green crab: Used in a green crab soup with pain d'épice (spiced bread), this ingredient reflects the chef's creativity in combining local shellfish with aromatic spices to create unique and sophisticated dishes.
Courgette flower: Often used as a vessel for stuffing, such as with duxelles and spider crab, courgette flowers add a delicate texture and floral note, emphasizing finesse and seasonality in the cuisine.
These ingredients exemplify Le Skiff Club's focus on local, seasonal produce and seafood from the Arcachon Bay area, prepared with generosity and finesse under chef Stéphane Carrade's direction. The use of local crabs and fresh vegetables in signature dishes underscores the restaurant's commitment to terroir and sustainable sourcing.