From the sign, we know where we are. The pottoka is a pony from the Basque Country, the land of chef Sébastien Gravé. But when you enter, you are also at Paris, thanks to the metro tiles and the shiny silver counter. In a turquoise blue atmosphere, we return to the South-West with the clusters of Espelette pepper, the nods to rugby and Basque pelota. In the end, a friendly place, in balance between native country and city of adoption.
Sébastien Gravé has it all figured out. He shares his life between Paris and Bayonne, where he also opened Sébastien Gravé's Table. It magnifies the products of its terroir of birth, solid on its acquired bases. He studied at the Laurent with Philippe Braun, but also with Joël Robuchon, Jean-Marie Gautier in Biarritz and Christian Constant in Paris. Under his bohemian exteriors, he is also quite homely since he did not leave the 7th arrondissement dear to Chef Constant to first open the Fables de la Fontaine, which he left with a star in 2012, before settling a few meters away to create Pottoka. He cultivates the art of aperitif and, as soon as you go to the table, that of a cuisine made of bold pairings: goat ravioli, xistora (Spanish charcuterie), buckwheat cream, velvety coconut-artichoke, pig's cheeks and feet, fries, risotto of great Basque red corn with chorizo and Colonnata bacon, or this incredible creamy, sparkling and crunchy chocolate dessert, peanut ice cream with smoked salt and Espelette pepper, presented in 2016 at Taste Of Paris.
In 2015, Sébastien Gravé opened a table d'hôte called La Peña, right next to Pottoka (places communicate). Good plan for an evening with friends.
