Paris: April 2023
The Bras family in Paris? Yes, it has finally happened after 50 years from the first time Michel wondered if he should go to Paris and abandon his cherished homeplace in Aubrac. It would take the world’s 30th richest billionaire, François Pinault, to make it happen.
From Aubrac to Paris
In 2018, Mr. Pinault‘s team contacted Michel and Sébastien Bras, asking them to create a restaurant within their museum, the Pinault Collection at the Bourse de Commerce in Paris. The Bras, who cherished nature and their Aubrac roots, accepted the challenge with the condition that they could express their distinctive style in the new restaurant. As Michel delved into the history of the site, he discovered that it was once a hub for trading cereals and legumes. Inspired by this finding, the Bras decided to make cereals the focal point of their restaurant. They crafted a menu that showcased cereals, seeds and legumes as the main ingredients. Having devoted his career to elevating vegetables, Michel saw this as an opportunity to create a spin-off that celebrated grains and pulses.
I believe that all the projects on which we have worked in strong connection either with architecture or with unique places or with art. It motivated us to create a project that reflects our history, the museum location and our artistic and architectural vision.
Sébastien Bras
The concept
The Halle aux Grains celebrates the culinary potential of cereals in all their forms. From sweet to savoury, every dish showcases the diversity and richness of grains, seeds and legumes, enhanced by subtle spices and flavours. The restaurant operates throughout the year, from late morning until late night, serving lunch, goûter and dinner. The menu offers a range of dishes that feature a variety of cereals sourced from different regions, such as sorghum from Africa, amaranth from South America, kurakkan from Sri Lanka, bulgur, chickpeas, rice, lentils, quinoa and more.
Whereas Le Suquet is now headed by Sébastien primarily, is a collaborative effort between father and son. Michel conducted the historical research and the conceptual design of the restaurant, while Sébastien has focused on implementing Michel’s research and ideas with his team. The Halle aux Grains is headed by maître de salle Mathieu Muratet and chef Maxime Vergely, who both trained at Le Suquet under the supervision of Sébastien and Véronique for six and four years respectively. The aim is to convey a bit of the soul of Aubrac in the heart of Paris.
The architecture and the venue
Located on the third floor of the Bourse de Commerce, the restaurant offers stunning views of both the interior and exterior of the building. Inside, guests can admire the work of Japanese architect Tadao Ando, who transformed the circular structure into a contemporary museum for the Pinault Collection. Outside, they can gaze at the church of Saint-Eustache, Les Halles and the rooftops of the capital.
The interior design of the restaurant reflects the vision of Michel and Sébastien Bras, who wanted to create a place filled with soul and warmth. They collaborated with French designers Ronan and Erwan Bouroullec, who conceived a subtle and elegant vocabulary of materials, colours and lights. Textiles play a key role in creating a comfortable and intimate atmosphere, such as the lace curtains that divide the space without blocking the light, or the wool felt that covers the chairs. The tables and seats have simple lines and forged iron legs that evoke both simplicity and refinement. The glass vases and lamps add touches of brightness and colour to the monochrome palette of grey, silver and pale blue.
The wine
The Halle aux Grains pays homage to grains in both its cuisine and its wines. But here, the grains are not wheat or corn, but the berries of the grapevine. The restaurant offers a unique collection: the “Cuvées de grains”. These are exclusive bottles crafted in collaboration with winemaker friends who have agreed to put the focus on the grape variety and terroir.
The idea came from Sergio Calderón, the sommelier of Le Suquet. He travelled across France to work with vignerons with whom Sergio has built a close relationship over his 30 years in Aubrac. The result is a wine list that showcases thirty cuvées that try to reveal the identity and terroir of each grape variety.
We were astonished to discover wines by the glass from Vatan, Roulot, Chidaine, Château Latour. And at such affordable prices! For our à la carte meal we were naturally inclined to select the Chardonnay from Roulot and the Cabernet Sauvignon from Latour.
| Jean-Marc Roulot – grains de Chardonnay 2019 | |
|---|---|
| Unique bottling. Only for Le Halle aux Grains, belonging to the Bras family. | |
| Nose: | Intensely aromatic. Bouquet of quince, lemon curd and a hint of new French oak vanilla. The fruit character is ripe and expressive. |
| Palate: | This small cuvée delivers more concentration than one might expect. It bursts with quince, yellow plum and lemon flavours, all underpinned by a remarkable tension. The midpalate is broad and fruity but also reveals a saline nuance. The finish combines a subtle chalky minerality with lemon, lemon curd and vanilla. |
| Structure: | High racy acidity, dry, medium alcohol, medium body. Long finish. |
| Château Latour – grains de Cabernet Sauvignon 2017 | |
|---|---|
| Unique bottling. Only for Le Halle aux Grains, belonging to the Bras family. | |
| Nose: | Ripe cassis expression that evokes a cool climate in a warm vintage. The bouquet reveals complex tertiary aromas of tobacco and dry mint, adding depth and intrigue to the fruit. |
| Palate: | On the palate, the wine is full-bodied and powerful, yet balanced and poised by a lively acidity. The cassis and dark cherry flavours are intense but not jammy, and they are complemented by a refreshing minty note that persists through the long finish. The finish also displays nuances of tobacco and coffee, as the core of fruit flavours gradually fades. The oak influence is subtle and well-integrate. |
| Structure: | Crisp racy acid, medium fine tannin, full bodied, high alcohol. Very long finish. |
The dining experience in Spring 2023
One might expect a significant difference between the dining experience at the flagship restaurant in Aubrac and La Halle aux Grains, but this was not the case. The dishes served at the latter were less complex and poetic than those at the former, but they still incorporated many of the core principles of Bras’ cuisine.
However, two main aspects distinguished the two restaurants: first, the prevalence of grains in most of the dishes at the Bourse de Commerce; and second, the minor errors of the service that detracted from the overall impression of grace and excellence that one gets in Aubrac. Despite being attentive and knowledgeable, the staff made some mistakes that would be unthinkable at Le Suquet1. These lapses made the service feel less graceful and refined than what we experienced in Laguiole.
Looking for a lighter dinner, we ordered à la carte. Every meal starts with a small amuse-bouche – in this case a puffed grain cracker with sesame, a beetroot purée and some micro-herbs – and a consommé, a subtle homage to the original definition of restaurant, a place to replenish oneself with a nourishing broth. It this case it was a delicious and indeed purifying consommé de volaille. The bread is from the family recipe, but baked by the Parisian master Poujauran. We were told to use it to clean our Laguiole knives between courses, just like in Aubrac.
We began our meal with a ris de veau d’Aveyron & du Ségala roulés au beurre; purée d’artichaut et de ‘lin’, artichaut poivrade grillé & vinaigrette au jus de veau. This dish featured a veal sweetbread that was pan-fried in butter and cooked to perfection, with a crisp and caramelised exterior that gave way to a tender and succulent interior. The richness of the sweetbread was complemented by a veal jus vinaigrette, which imparted acidity and depth to the dish. As a side, the artichokes were a delight, both in the purée and the grilled baby ones. Michel Bras was famous for his artichoke technique, and it showed in this dish. Firstly, the baby artichokes were grilled until charred and tender, bringing out their sweetness and smokiness. On the other hand, the purée had a nutty and earthy flavour from the addition of flax seeds. Both preparations contrasted with the intense flavours of the sweetbread, creating a balanced dish.
For the main course, we were impressed by the quality and simplicity of the pièce de chevreau de l’Aveyron juste rôtie au four; ‘orge perlé’, purée de céleri & cascara, niac® genièvre/‘courge’. This was a celebration of the suckling goat meat from the region, which was roasted in the oven until juicy and tender. The meat had a sweet and delicate flavour, reminiscent of pork sirloin. It was served with a pearl barley risotto, turnips and a celeriac and cascara purée. The pearl barley added some chewiness and acidity to the dish through its vinaigrette. On the other hand, the celeriac and cascara purée was smooth and intense, with a fruity and slightly bitter taste from the cascara, which is made from the dried husks of coffee cherries. The turnips were outstanding, crisp and sweet, reminding us of the quality of the vegetables that we had in Le Suquet. The dish was finished with a sprinkle of niac®2, a spice blend of juniper berries and squash seeds. It was grated over our plates using Michel’s own pepper mill, releasing a fragrant aroma of juniper and citrus. A brilliant touch that added some freshness and complexity. We paired this dish with the Latour, which matched well with the meat and the spice.
Our companion had monkifish instead.
The main is always served alongside by the family’s famous aligot, this time served in a small pan and beautifully caramelised on top.
Knowing the quality of Bras desserts, we went for two of them. However, we were intrigued by the presence of ingredients such as pineapple from Costa Rica, chocolate from Cameroon and vanilla from Tahiti. These ingredients contrast with the Bras’ history of championing local produce in their cuisine. We wondered whether the new location was justifying Bras’ exploitation of the globalist connections of a city like Paris, and how consistent this was with their values.
We started with a dessert that was both classic and exotic: millefeuille croustillant à l‘épeautre’; crème aux vanilles de Tahiti & Madagascar, ananas du Costa Rica rôti au muscovado. This was a reinterpretation of the traditional French pastry, made with spelt flour instead of wheat, and paired with vanilla cream from two different origins and roasted pineapple from Costa Rica. One of the best and most complex millefeuilles we have had, along with that of The Ledbury.
The feuilletage was a masterpiece of pastry making itself: the layers of spelt dough were thin, crisp and buttery, creating a delightful contrast with the smooth and rich vanilla cream. The spelt added a nutty and rustic touch to the pastry. The resulting millefeuille was partially dipped in hazelnut praline and then placed on a light and airy cheese mousse that balanced the sweetness and added some more creaminess.
Some thin slices of pineapple roasted with muscovado sugar lied on the side. The pineapple was slightly dehydrated, giving it a chewy texture. We appreciated more its acidity, delivering freshness to our palate. Our waiter also poured some pineapple coulis over the millefeuille, adding moisture and brightness.
The dessert was completed by a quenelle of vanilla ice cream sculpted with precision. It was the best vanilla ice cream we have ever tasted, with a soft and silky texture, and an intense and pure vanilla flavour that lingered in our mouth. It was fragrant and complex, combining the floral notes of Tahitian vanilla and the spicy notes of Madagascar vanilla.
Lastly we had the famous coulant, or more precisely: Sur une interprétation du coulant originel de 1981; le biscuit tiède coulant au chocolat du Cameroun, crème glacée au lait de coco. This dish was a homage to the iconic creation of Michel Bras, who invented the chocolate coulant in 1981. A warm chocolate cake with a liquid centre, in this case it was made with Cameroonian chocolate with a fruity and floral aroma. The cake was accompanied by a coconut milk ice cream, adding a tropical touch and a contrast of temperature and texture.
We had had the chance to taste another version of the coulant at Le Suquet and we were curious to compare it with this one. The execution was as perfect as in Aubrac. The fruity chocolate filling was outstanding, complementing the coconut ice cream. Concerning the ice cream, it was excellent, but not as remarkable as the vanilla ice cream.
Finally, the mignardises are served on a plate designed to come with an espresso. And oh, wow, for the first time we had a good espresso in a restaurant in Paris. It actually had some acidity and was not roasted to ash. Apparently it comes from Café Verlet. The mignardises of course have grains too. Both the sablé and the chocolates from Rodez’s chocolatiers Agnès et Pierre.
As a parting gift, guests receive a sachet of seeds that they can grow into micro-herbs at home. The package also contains a guide on how to grow them over a period of 5 days until they are mature enought to enjoy them on a buttered toast with a pinch of salt. A smart way to extend the experience and keep the restaurant in the guests’ memory for a few days longer.
Conclusions
La Halle aux Grains is a restaurant that offers a unique opportunity to taste the cuisine of Michel and Sébastien Bras in the heart of Paris. Most of the dishes employ cereals, seeds and legumes as a nod to the history of the building. Still, the menu is primarily driven by produce from Aubrac as well as seafood from their long trusted fishermen in Saint-Jean-de-Luz. The wine list matches the quality and diversity of the food. Indeed, the gastronomic level of La Halle aux Grains is comparable to that of Le Suquet, their flagship restaurant in Aubrac.
The location is stunning, with a refined and elegant design that complements the architecture of the museum and a superb view of the cityscape. The only flaw at which we could be forced point is the service, which sometimes lacks the grace and excellence that we saw in Aubrac. However, this does not diminish the overall enjoyment of the experience. La Halle aux Grains is a great way of discovering Bras’ food without venturing far into a remote location, and it merits a visit from anyone who has not tasted their cuisine before.