Beauty and the bottle
It’s not always easy to follow in the footsteps of chefs who have built a restaurant’s reputation. Serge Labrosse was the first to position the Carouge district on Geneva’s gastronomic scene, winning a Michelin star. He then handed over the reins of Le Flacon to his second-in-command at the time, a certain Yoann Caloué (now based at the Café des Banques, currently undergoing renovation), who would captain the ship for a decade. Today, it’s the turn of the intrepid Lucrèce Lacchio to take over the helm. It’s a return to her roots for the chef, who is no stranger to 45 rue Vautier, having already worked there for five years.
Edouard Amoiel
Team spirit
A change of chef, but not of decor! Geneva’s most bistro gastro retains its elegant spirit. Even though a few decorative elements have been discreetly introduced into the restaurant, it’s a shame we didn’t take advantage of this mercato of chefs to give a new identity to this establishment with undeniable potential. Rest assured, the glass kitchen overlooking the dining room is still in place. In the image of Thibault Bleuzet (Benjamin Breton’s former faithful companion at Bottle Brothers and Fiskebar), new faces are showing their aprons alongside the chef. By surrounding herself with young talents from a wide variety of backgrounds, Lucrèce Lacchio is adding to her ranks.
While the mackerel, marinated in gravlax-style salt and colored with a blowtorch, wins us over, it’s the 63.2-degree egg that takes the cake. Accompanied by a light Parmesan mousse and grilled leeks, the dish is a seductive appetizer. Cooked at a low temperature, the turbot and its caramelized endives and onion purée are effectively counterbalanced by the bitterness of a few Treviso leaves. With its roasted turbot fumet, blended with meat juice and red wine, the dish takes on a whole new gustatory dimension. A la plancha seared scallops, translucent throughout, roasted cauliflower purée and cauliflower tabbouleh, meanwhile, are seasoned with a veal and prawn jus. An ingenious combination!
Edouard Amoiel
Winning return
Female talent is back in Carouge. Lucrèce Lacchio confirms her baptism of the air without too much difficulty. Establishing a first menu is one thing, confirming it is quite another. No doubt this ingenious cook will have many more tricks up her sleeve in the weeks to come.
