French Restaurant Review: Ju – Maison de Cuisine, Bonnieux

This tiny, 9-table restaurant in the Vaucluse welcomes patrons in a warm and welcoming atmosphere while following a sustainable approach to cooking.

A recent Saturday lunch at the newly-opened JU – Maison de Cuisine in Bonnieux, with a German friend who lives in Oppède le Vieux, was one of the pleasantest meals I’ve had in a very long time. Chef Julien Allano, who previously won a Michelin star while cooking at Le Clair de la Plume in Grignan, has created a small, charming restaurant, with only nine tables and an open kitchen, in a space that ends in a cool limestone cave, where he stores his cheeses and some of his wines. The warm hospitality of the chef and his staff, wearing toast-coloured linen aprons, immediately put us at ease, and we were glad to be shown to a table in the first of the two dining rooms where the open kitchen is found, so that we could watch Allano work.

Inspired by his Italian and pied-noir origins, Allano is deeply committed to cooking with local seasonal produce and running a restaurant that’s as sustainable as possible. His approach to sustainability is revealed by the fact that he grinds his own flour and bakes his own bread daily and also produces homemade soda using fresh fruit and herb syrups. The sleek, modern furnishings of the restaurant, including its streamlined blond wood furniture, hand-forged cutlery and taupe-coloured faience crockery, were made by craftsmen in the Drôme.

We began with a superb dish of white asparagus from the Vaucluse, which was grilled on the barbecue with a citrus sauce, and continued with trout with a sabayon of fresh herbs and a viennois of new potatoes, and then succulent lamb from La Ferme Alazard prepared three ways. Desserts were excellent, too, including a fascinating corn soufflé. The excellent list of mostly organic and natural southern French wines was chosen by sommelier Mathis Foucart and Chef Allano. This is an excellent restaurant.

2 rue Lucien Blanc, Bonnieux, Tel. (33) 04 90 75 88 62

www.ju-maisondecuisine.com

From France Today Magazine