Le Grand Bain

Chef Fabio Massimo Liuzza's cooking at Le Grand Bain defies simple categorization, and that's precisely what makes it so exciting. Drawing on his experience in London and Rome, he's created a menu that respects Italian traditions while fearlessly incorporating influences from across the Mediterranean and beyond. The result is what some have called 'confusing cuisine'—not because it lacks direction, but because it refuses to be boxed into a single category.

The menu is structured around small plates and tapas-style portions, with dishes ranging from €6 to €15. This format encourages exploration and sharing, allowing you to build your own tasting menu based on your appetite and curiosity. It's an approach that suits the convivial atmosphere perfectly—plates arrive as they're ready, creating a dynamic, flowing meal rather than a rigid progression of courses.

The restaurant's signature dish, crispy panisse fries served with mayo, has achieved cult status among regulars. These chickpea flour fritters—a Provençal specialty—are perfectly executed: crispy exterior giving way to a creamy interior, elevated by a simple but perfect accompaniment. It's the kind of dish that seems simple until you taste it and realize the skill required to get it just right.

Seafood features prominently on the menu, reflecting both the chef's Mediterranean influences and the restaurant's commitment to quality ingredients. The burrata-octopus combination showcases this approach beautifully—premium Italian cheese paired with perfectly cooked octopus, creating a dish that's both familiar and surprising. Pouce-pied (goose barnacles), monkfish liver, and crab appear regularly, treated with the respect these premium ingredients deserve.

But it's not all about the sea. The lamb liver tonnato demonstrates Liuzza's willingness to take classic preparations in unexpected directions. Taking the traditional vitello tonnato concept and applying it to lamb liver shows both technical skill and creative confidence. For vegetarians, the mafé de pleurotes (oyster mushroom mafé) proves that plant-based dishes receive the same attention and creativity as their meat and seafood counterparts.

Main courses can reach up to €30, reflecting the quality of ingredients and preparation involved. These larger plates are still designed with sharing in mind, fitting seamlessly into the tapas-style dining experience. The kitchen's visible presence means you can see the care that goes into each dish—the precise plating, the attention to temperature, the final touches that elevate good food to memorable food.

Don't skip dessert. The pavlova with coffee and nectarines offers a perfect ending—light, sweet, and sophisticated, with the coffee adding an unexpected depth to the classic meringue-based dessert. It's the kind of dish that makes you reconsider what bistrot desserts can be.

Throughout the menu, you'll find evidence of Liuzza's training and travels. Italian techniques appear in pasta preparations and the handling of ingredients like burrata. Mediterranean flavors shine through in the use of olive oil, citrus, and fresh herbs. But there's also a willingness to look beyond these traditions, incorporating elements from other cuisines when they serve the dish.

The slate presentation of dishes adds a rustic, artisanal touch that suits the food perfectly. Each plate arrives as a small composition, carefully arranged but never fussy, letting the ingredients speak for themselves while showing the chef's artistic sensibility.