La Suite

La Suite Restaurant Review:

This gastronomic bistro just off the harbor of La Rochelle is the property of the Leclerre family, husband and wife. The décor is comfortable and trendy, without ostentation. On the ground floor are the dining room and a Champagne bar, with a fumoir (smoking room) and VIP room located above. Johan Leclerre delivers cuisine that’s at once classic and creative. Courses are both simple (Caesar salad, grilled sardines, beef tartare, rib steak with Camembert sauce) and sophisticated (lobster wrapped in phyllo with whipped cream, lemon and soy; scampi tartare with vinaigrette, asparagus and bread drenched in squid ink; grilled turbot in spicy juice served with gnocchi and salad; and smoked beef with the flavor of pine needles from l’Ile de Ré). The well-supplied cellar offers numerous vintage wines and Champagnes by the glass.