Afaria

Instead of the usual starter, main course and dessert categories, Basque-born chef Julien Duboué has divided his menu into sections such as 'les sudistes' for southern French-inspired cooking, and 'les petits appetits' for lighter dishes. Several dishes are for sharing, in particular a caveman-sized duck magret with balsamic fig vinegar, served on a terracotta roof tile with potato gratin perched on a bed of twigs. Other creations such as oysters with bulgur, hummus and preserved lemon show that Duboué is not just another Basque bistro chef, but a traveller who happily borrows ingredients from around the world.