One of my best gastronomic experiences is in Alexandre Mazzia's restaurant . In a chic residential area, at the end of Rue Paradis, the chef takes us on a journey with virtuosity around his three markers: spices, roasting and chili. Sitting at a high table at the bar, in the front row of the kitchen open to the dining room, I had the pleasure of chatting with him during the meal. After studying military medicine, passionate about basketball, Alexandre Mazzia started a hotel school and was recognized several times by "Gault & Millau". His cuisine is inspired by his childhood memories in Congo and his culinary experiences over the years.
I had the pleasure of tasting the "grand voyage" menu with food and wine pairings at dinner, composed of around forty bites based on plants and the marine world. What struck me the most was the fact that everything makes sense, everything is thought out to perfect the customer's taste experience. The waiters explain not only the composition of the dishes, but also in what order to proceed to taste them and enjoy them to the fullest. In addition to a very high standard of service, the cuisine is beyond all expectations, exceptional. Like these trout eggs and wild salmon served with smoked milk with roasted hazelnuts, a dish of rare intensity, or the bites of smoked eel and chocolate ( photo above) . The flavor combinations are pushed to perfection, and worked to achieve a perfect balance. For example, I still have the delicious memory of a nasturtium sorbet with seaweed popcorn (photo below).
The restaurant's decor is simple and chic. A few elements recalling the chef's childhood in Congo and his passion for basketball punctuate the warm atmosphere given off by the lights of the colored lampshades and the bouquets of flowers.
Eating at the bar also allowed me to be closer to the chefs and see them prepare the dishes before my eyes. Different textures and temperatures take us on a journey, like this bite to be savored quickly once served so as not to lose its taste effect: plankton sugar, curry sailor's veil, samphire, nasturtium, flax seed, smoked pike roe. I remain very pleasantly surprised by the sake-steamed razor clams, puffed barley seeds, iodized condiment and seaweed, served with what the chef calls an "eggnog", composed mainly of egg yolk.
My favorite dish, the most delicious and surprising in my opinion, is a mixture of watercress creams and smoked beetroot, served with langoustine milk and a granita of burnt red mullet heads. Absolutely delicious. I also remember the many bites on the spoon, like this spider crab meat in animal juice with a veil of bonito marinated in sake-hibiscus.
Instead of the traditional glass of water at the table, Alexandre Mazzia offers different broths to drink in a glass. His green apple-fennel water and chili oil is particularly good. His poultry consommé infused with oyster shells, dulce and burnt citrus peel is also very surprising. The rest of the meal focuses on seasonal products, in this case autumn. Old vegetables and mushrooms are therefore in the spotlight, with the dish of burnt-smoked Jerusalem artichokes, parsnip pulp and shell and black trumpets, or the candied onion with hazelnut butter, porcini mushrooms and mortadella with smoked tea. The sweet and sour sparassis gel, satay juice and harissa raspberries was also very original.
The homemade Viennese bread smoked with charcoal is incredibly soft, and served with a combava butter, bringing a sweet freshness. My treat was to dip this bread in the citrus and orange blossom semolina. As for dessert, the chef clearly immersed us in his childhood in Congo, with in particular a pudding texture with animal juice, tamarind hibiscus, caramelized banana and feuillantine, or his sweet potato associated with mangoes, dates and marjoram water. The last dessert table was particularly incredible, as if to end on a high note. Sometimes as small as a bite, like a grape lacquered with chili water, poppy seed, tarragon condiment, grape vinegar.
Sometimes a larger portion, like a frosted corn, 25-year-old balsamic, smoked-grilled corn meringue. A few frozen dishes also allow you to refresh your palate, like the ice cream with milk jam and matcha green tea, the pineapple saffron sorbet and spicy gel or the frozen green apple puck and its green apple water with green curry, served with a spray of bigarades gin.
If you are passionate about gastronomy, or simply curious, I strongly advise you to try the experience once in your life. The service and the cuisine are perfect, the sommelier will also know how to accompany your meal in the best possible way by adapting to your preferences.
Address : 9 Rue François Rocca, 13008 Marseille
Tel : 04 91 24 83 63
Open: Wednesday lunchtime to Saturday evening
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