At Suquet, the poetry of the Bras
Leaving everything behind to find yourself, taking to the road, leaving the dreariness behind and escaping to a land where time seems to stand still. On the winding roads of Aubrac, the trees have donned their golden mantle, the colors oscillate between ochre and rust, the light is softening, the air is crisp and clear, autumn is here and promises to be beautiful.
Immensity in search of escape
The road from Geneva is long, but so beautiful! Towards the end, it winds its way through landscapes of raw purity, and suddenly, at the bend in the road, Le Suquet comes into view. Perched on a hilltop, the Bras family restaurant watches over a breathtaking valley. Here, nature is not a backdrop: it’s the raw material of dreams. Sitting in front of the immensity, you can feel the need to escape. The desire to let yourself be carried away, to think of nothing else – except the beauty of the world and its most natural aspects.
Our family Bras family is no stranger to the world of French toques. First Michel the father, then Sébastien the son now at the helm, who continues to perpetuate the traditions of a discreet clan renowned for its self-sacrifice. Although in 1999 their establishment had already been awarded three Michelin stars, they decided to withdraw from the guide in 2017. A decision fully assumed by the duo, who pursue their path with resilience and panache.
At last the “gargoyle
The “gargouillou” of young vegetables, herbs and sprouted seeds, brushed with sansho from the garden, leads the way; a living tableau, an invitation to lose oneself in the season and surrounding nature. More than sixty plants and herbs are delicately scattered here, like an ode to plants in their purest expression. Moon crab, mousseline and crabmeat flesh, is tangy with citrus, Paimpol coconut with shellfish consommé and Perce watercress. The sea, the wind, the herbs: a sensory voyage sliced by the creaminess of a mousseline and the sweetness of a broth.
Pan-seared duck foie gras from the Domaine de Rouilly, with Akane apple, ewe’s milk brousse, vinegar-spiked skin jus, almond and sorrel emulsion, is a generous offering: hot, cold, melt-in-the-mouth and a long culinary history are balanced and told in just a few mouthfuls. Roasted on a rotisserie, the beef, for its part, asserts itself with just the right touch – short juices infused with cascara, fried chestnuts, lively mustards: the simplicity of fire, the truth of gesture.
Meals in weightlessness
And always on the menu, that indestructible thread between past and present: aligot, spiked with local black truffles, sometimes nicknamed the “ribbon of friendship”, worked at length to achieve an elastic texture. Finally, a licorice cookie coulant, a reinterpretation of the original 1981 coulant. A final, dreamy note, suspended in time. People don’t just come to lunch at Le Suquet. You come to escape, to soar, without wanting to come back down. And after this weightless meal, a desire to see the world differently invades us: with open eyes, a beating heart and a free spirit. It’s time to get back on life’s winding road…
