La Grande Maison Bernard Magrez – Bordeaux, France
La Grande Maison Bernard Magrez – The art of haute cuisine
Online Reservations | |
10 Rue Labottière, 33000 Bordeaux, France | |
0033 5 35 38 16 16 | |
www.lagrandemaison-bordeaux.com |
Chef: Jean-Denis Lebras
Inspired by: Pierre Gagnaire
Relais & Chateaux La Grande Maison de Bernard Magrez is a small luxury hotel with excellent gastronomic restaurant located in the centre of Bordeaux. The famous businessman and “Ambassador of Excellence”, Bernard Magrez owns the property. Mr Magrez is very known in the international wine world as he owns no less than four Grands Crus Classés wine domains in the Bordeaux region: Chateau Pape Clément (Graves), Chateau La Tour Carnet (Haut Médoc), Chateau Fombrauge (Saint-Emilion) and Clos Haut Peyraguey (Sauternes). All guests of the hotel are invited to visit one or more of these domains and to try some of his delicious wines. Guests can also enjoy a visit to the Cultural Institute Bernard Magrez, the leading contemporary art centre in Aquitaine, which is located just in front of La Grande Maison.
Bernard Magrez created the prestigious la Grande Maison in 2014. La Grande Maison is located in a wonderful late nineteenth century mansion where French art de vivre and excellence are meeting together. It is a small hotel, with only six luxurious rooms. Frédérique Fournier decorated the rooms with a design boosting refinement and elegance. He started from a revisited Napoleon III style and French crafts, silk, and vibrant colours are present in all areas. The walls are covered with real fabrics in pink, green, violet or red colours, which makes the interior very exclusive. Luxurious French furniture enhances the castle atmosphere. Each room has its own character and at La Grande Maison, Bernard Magrez wants his guest to feel like home. Additionally, all products like coffee and drinks from the minibar are included.
Restaurant La Grande Maison is the gastronomic restaurant of the Hotel. The gourmet restaurant is located in three different prestigious areas that all have their own identity. Special wood panelling and grey trim are combined with curtains in varying shades of grey. The atmosphere lives up in the evening when small table lamps from Baccarat and chandeliers bring cosiness. One of the lounges, the library of the former owner Léon Duguit, gathers restored books on high traditional shelves. Also the table setting breathes elegance with tableware from Christofle, Baccarat glasses and decanters and presentation plates from Erik Ifergan. In the Olivier room one will find blown glass chandeliers from Murano, timeless art works from the Bernard Magrez collection and a fireplace.
The kitchen of La Grande Maison Bernard Magrez is lead by visionair Pierre Gagnaire. In this place in Bordeaux he started recently writing a new chapter together with Executive Chef Jean-Denis Lebras. Lebras, originates from French Brittany and has been working with Pierre Gagnaire for more than 10 years. He worked in Sketch in London and at restaurant Pierre in the Mandarin Oriental Hong Kong. The chef shares the vision for Grande Cuisine from Gagnaire. They offer a personal creativity based upon great local products representing the Grand Cru Cuisine Bordeaux deserves. Lebras offers the Pierre Gagnaire spirit in his menus without copying from other Gagnaire restaurants all over the world. The dishes are based on the French cuisine with a local twist. Products from the Aquitaine region are often the essence. Some dishes are presented and finished at the table, creating an experience for the guests. One à la carte choice mainly consists of four to five different servings around the chosen theme.
The professional service in La Grande Maison is lead by the Hotel & Restaurant Manager Julien Gardin who is also one of Gagnaire’s trustees for many years. The sommeliers of the restaurant will offer over 250 Bordeaux Grands Crus Classés, which is a unique collection in the world.
Kick off was given with a glass of champagne Amour de Deutz, millesimé 2006 followed by a selection of appetizers.
Crispy bread with a ‘chutney d’hiver’ and humus of green lentils from Puy
Daikon turnip with Campari syrup
Oyster leaf with spinach and herring cream with lemon
Cracker from tandoori herbs with a bonbon of chorizo and hazelnut
Crispy black olives
Spelt crisp with a avocado cream and radish
Revisit of a gin-tonic (the favourite drink of Mr Gagnaire)
Perfume of the earth
Ravioli with duck foie gras , cranberry lightly smoked in an aromatic casserole; Red cabbage marmalade with blackcurrant; Preserved cep mushroom, mustard seeds ice cream; Daikon turnip, beetroot, celeriac with red onions;Bordelaise style snails, stuffed lettuce with red onions; Beef marrow and lace bread biscuit spread with nettle puré
Aquitaine black truffle
Scallop and smoked haddock souffléed biscuit, crunchy white cabbage and truffle; Endive with ham from M.Ospital, Mornay sauce; Scallop salpicon, with razor clams; Slow simmered leek and shitake mushrooms; Pot-au-feu broth
Lobster
Scalded blue lobster à la minute; Thinly sliced tail à la nacre, diced pear and avocado slices with Castelinos olive oil; Lobster claw and elbow, emulsified coral cream with Brites Aguiar olive oil; Bitter salad; Cauliflower and almond cake with ‘terroir de Marrakech’ olive oil; Dodo Bisque
Lamb
Lamb chop from Pauillac with oregano; Saddle in caul casing, white beetroot, black radish; Green crumble, sandy pink garlic clove, Bayonne ham, raw leek; Sweetbread and kidneys coated in its juice with niora pepper;Black butterfly pasta, medjoul dates
Souffled Biscuit – Chocolate Cru
Souffléd biscuit Cuba with Bas-Armagnac Château Laballe, hors d’âge; Chocolate ganache Caraïbes; Cassate ice cream Guanaja; Cocoa jellified water, morels mushroom nougatine with coffee; Blackberry sauce with blackcurrant liqueur.
Pierre Gagnaire – Grand Dessert
Crunchy iced lemon mousse/preserved ginger, bergamot water, bouddha’s hand lemon, dill; Mirin ewe’s milk ice-cream, diced pineapple/persimmon with saffron, pineapple lace biscuit; Black sesame custard, meringue stuffed with orange cream, milk chocolate mousse, p125 ice-cream, bitter ganache; Pear tatin, chestnut leaves, chestnut cream flavoured with rhum; Green tea, biscuit, fine mousse, opaline sugar, ice-cream.
Mignardises
The elegance of La Grande Maison Bernard Magrez mansion is epic. The restaurant offers a memorable experience in Bordeaux with excellent produce served in rich dishes full of flavour.
Be-Gusto
Be-Gusto score: 8,3/10
Be-Gusto value for money: 8,3/10
La Grande Maison Bernard Magrez
10 Rue Labottière, 33000 Bordeaux, France
Phone: +33 5 35 38 16 16
www.lagrandemaison-bordeaux.com
Pictures by Belgian Taste Buds