Gare au Gorille

The cuisine at Gare au Gorille represents the evolution of French bistro cooking—rooted in tradition yet unafraid of contemporary influences, technically accomplished yet focused on ingredient quality above all else. Chef Marc Cordonnier, who honed his skills working alongside the legendary Alain Passard, brings haute cuisine precision to a bistro format, creating dishes that feel both refined and approachable.

The menu philosophy centers on seasonality and market availability, with the carte changing weekly based on what Cordonnier finds at local markets and from trusted producers. This commitment to freshness and quality means the restaurant works extensively with organic ingredients and products from farms in conversion to organic practices. Rather than imposing a predetermined menu on seasonal ingredients, Cordonnier allows the market to guide his creativity, resulting in dishes that capture each season at its peak.

The cooking style showcases French culinary tradition while incorporating subtle contemporary touches and occasional international influences. You might encounter bonite au poireau paired with fregola sarda, bringing a Mediterranean grain into conversation with French technique, or saint-jacques elevated with the warm spices of curry madras. The kitchen demonstrates equal facility with delicate seafood preparations—like the signature carpaccio de lotte or perfectly seared lieu noir—and more robust meat dishes, including impressive cuts like faux-filet and whole roasted duck that anchor the evening menu.

The lunch service offers particularly strong value, with a three-course menu at €27 that provides an excellent introduction to Cordonnier's cooking. These midday offerings tend toward lighter, more delicate preparations that suit a business lunch or casual meal, featuring refined small plates and carefully composed main courses. Evening service shifts the focus somewhat, emphasizing sharing plates and larger format dishes designed for convivial dining. This is when you'll find the kitchen's more ambitious preparations, like pigeon cuit sur coffre—pigeon cooked on the carcass, a technique that requires precise timing and delivers exceptional flavor.

The approach to ingredients emphasizes minimal intervention and maximum respect for the product. Cordonnier's cooking philosophy, influenced by his time with Passard, centers on allowing quality ingredients to express themselves rather than masking them with elaborate preparations. This means you'll encounter dishes where a perfectly cooked piece of fish might be accompanied by a single, thoughtfully chosen vegetable and a light sauce that enhances rather than overwhelms. It's cooking that appears simple on the plate but reveals its sophistication in the precision of technique and the harmony of flavors.

Appetizers and small plates demonstrate the kitchen's range and creativity. The terrine de canard showcases classic French charcuterie technique, while more inventive offerings like croquettes d'anguille fumée—smoked eel croquettes—reveal a willingness to play with textures and unexpected ingredients. Moules en escabèche represents another highlight, taking the humble mussel and elevating it through careful preparation and bright, acidic flavors that awaken the palate.

Vegetable preparations receive the same attention as proteins, reflecting the kitchen's commitment to showcasing seasonal produce. While Gare au Gorille isn't specifically a vegetarian restaurant, vegetarian options appear on the menu, and the kitchen's skill with vegetables means these dishes never feel like afterthoughts. The cooking respects the integrity of each ingredient, whether it's a delicate piece of fish or a perfectly roasted seasonal vegetable.

Desserts maintain the same standards as savory courses, with house-made creations that balance tradition and innovation. The mousse au chocolat delivers rich, classic satisfaction, while more inventive preparations like chou à la crème filled with passion fruit cream demonstrate the pastry kitchen's technical skill and willingness to incorporate bright, contemporary flavors. These sweet conclusions provide a fitting end to meals that celebrate both French culinary heritage and modern creativity.

The overall dining experience offers flexibility in how you approach the menu. You can opt for a traditional three-course structure, or you can embrace the sharing plate format that the restaurant encourages during dinner service, ordering multiple dishes to explore the kitchen's range. This flexibility, combined with the weekly-changing menu, means Gare au Gorille rewards repeat visits—there's always something new to discover, and the seasonal rhythm ensures you'll encounter different preparations throughout the year.