Artichoke hearts
What a big mistake not to have stepped on the threshold of L’Artichaut for so long! Whose fault is that? Maybe it’s life’s fault, maybe it’s the fact that I’ve been on the move so much… But in any case, what a pleasure it is to return to this gourmet haven that attracts the discreet epicureans of the City of Calvin. It’s a reassuring ritual to return to an establishment that hasn’t changed and continues its incredible journey. While habits are lost, landmarks soothe. The restaurant L’Artichaut is one of those discreet institutions that go through life with such candor and a hint of casualness.
Edouard Amoiel
Wine-growing land
Jan Bertiaux, still wearing his variously patterned shirts, is a beaming Jan Bertiaux at the helm. This peerless sommelier always seems happy to steer his gourmet ship. And to think that this professional waiter is the only one in charge of all his guests… a remarkable feat! It’s always with the same panache that he twirls from table to table with as much efficiency as discretion, as much passion as precision. With its formidable wine list and fair, well-priced prices, L’Artichaut definitely has what it takes to please. Whether in Swiss or French wine country, happiness is also in the bunch!
Edouard Amoiel
As for the menu, it focuses on the essentials. Four starters, four main courses and four desserts. Each title is a temptation to try it: cauliflower declensions, zaatar and smoked lake fava, roasted scallops, carrot declensions and citrus emulsion are seasonal preludes. But it’s the ravioli of hare à la royale and its porcini cappuccino that stirs the taste buds and delights the senses. Even if the pasta is just a little too thick, its contents are diabolically gourmand and in symbiosis with the sauce.
Shellfish
Although a poached lobster basking in its bisque, accompanied by butternut squash and tarragon, wins our hearts, it’s the sweetbreads that win the day. Chef Guillaume Fribault offers it in a land and sea version, perfectly crispy on the outside and wonderfully soft on the inside, accompanied by a few crayfish and escorted by a sublime sauce made with the shellfish carcasses. What a delight! And it’s a joy to dine at L’Artichaut. A delightful interlude punctuated by wonderful culinary moments that melt our artichoke hearts.
L’Artichaut, 9 quai du Cheval Blanc, 1227 Carouge. Phone +41 22 301 90 91
