A new atmosphere for this gourmet restaurant on the banks of the Garonne

HAS ten minutes only from the center of the Pink City, a charming period residence in Toulouse bricks stands at edge of the Garonne…Here, lnature has retained its rights and represents the perfect backdrop for this gourmet restaurant, who wants to be “uninhibited” both on the plate and in the service.

A reinvented state house

Far from being an impersonal place, the home with finely crafted serrationsdating from 1869once resonated with children’s laughter and family conversations. In the 90s, Jean-Claude and Martine Plazzota bought the building and began large-scale works in order to give him a second life : that of a high-end gourmet restaurant. In 2007, their son Ugo takes over the establishment and undertakes to readapt it to the current catering marketto make a unique place in Toulouse.

The successful combination of Corten and pink brick

In 2024, Au Pois Gourmand will new skinto the delight of regulars After a major construction sitea new extension attached to the building existing capacity allows the capacity of the restaurant to be increased, bringing it to 80 guests. It is now possible to sit down at the Gallerya room in Toulouse bricks whose large bay windows overlook the peaceful waves of the Garonne, or the Balcony, reserving the same panorama. THE Corten steel shadingmoucharabieh style, adorns the tables with shimmering reflections depending on the time of day…

“The goal was as much to renew itself as to improve acoustics and insulation you restaurantunderlines Ugo Plazzota. On the aesthetic side, we wanted rediscover the spirit of the builders of the timebut with more transversality and luminosity“. A real compromise between modernity and authenticityin short.

No detail was left to chance by Yvan Chaleteix, sales director, who called on a cabinetmaker of the Black Mountain to design the tables, carved in ash-olive tree. “We also have the glasses shaped by a ceramist from the Toulouse region“, he adds.

Local products and influences from elsewhere

At Pois Gourmand, the menu changes regularly according to seasonality and arrivals of fresh products, ideally local. “The restaurant sources its supplies from virtuous breeding and responsible hunting associations“, specifies Mr. Chaleteix. Thus, a lot of game (wild boar, deer, etc.) can be found on the establishment’s menu. Little note of colorful delicacy on the plate: edible flowers are grown hydroponically directly in the establishment’s garden, on the banks of the river.

We also often find Asian influences à la carte, fruit ofa strong attachment of the chef to this continent on which he traveled for a long time before settling in Toulouse. “My wife, originally from the Maldivesis the real “thinking head” behind the development of the menus for the weeks to come“, s’amuse M. Plazzota.

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Five gourmet menus

Here, no à la carte dishes (unless on request), but five menus to suit all desires. THE Market Menu (€34), offered only lunchtime during the weekEast an ideal and very affordable overview culinary delights from the restaurant. An example? Foie gras duck cooked in salt and flavored with quince, stuffed death trumpet creamed with parsnip puree and parsley, then kunafa tartlet (Levantine specialty) with pomegranate gel and pistachio ice cream.

As for the Discovery Menu (€59), more generous (four courses, pre-dessert and dessert), it comes in a vegetable version which is attracting more and more, due to changing morals.

For a more advanced foray into the world of gastronomy, the Tasting Menu (€82) requires you to take your time… Food and wine pairing (possible for all menus with supplement) allows you to enhance each dish following the advice of the head sommelier Lionel Bes and his team, attentive to the desires of the table and not stingy with suggestions. Special mention for the local cheese cartparticularly delicious!

Finally, the menu Around the lobster (€92) was so popular when it was created… that it never left the menu, thus becoming the restaurant’s “signature” menu. No need to worry, the flagship ingredient in all its forms (Liégeois, tartare, tongs, roast medallion…)is cooked in such a way that the palace never tires of it.

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Au Pois Gourmand organizes receptions and professional events on estimate (privatization possible for EC meals, seminar room of 100 square meters). Please note that it is also possible to offer gift vouchers for a gourmet meal ; a nice idea of present for gourmets during this holiday season…