Cuisine d'influence @ Dan

Gastrology bloggers dined courtesy of Dan.

Bordeaux’s younger and more cosmopolitan vibe is lending itself to an evolving gastronomic scene, bringing exciting innovation into the local food scene. Leading the charge is restaurant owner and chef, Jérôme Billot.

Well-travelled with an impressive resume including stints at Bouchon, Watermark and Café de Paris in Hong Kong, Billot offers unique cuisine d’influence which blends French cuisine and Chinese culinary tradition. The menu is, quite simply put, sensational.

The dining room is cosy and absolutely charming while the service is attentive and warm.

Malay-style marinated silky tofu, sweetcorn and coconut mousse; Steamed buns

Foie gras scented shrimp wontons with light crustacean bisque

One of Restaurant Dan’s signature dishes (and for good reason), the wontons consisted of fragrant and flavoursome shrimp within soft pastry. The addition of foie gras was a masterstroke, delivering a captivating richness. The accompanying bisque was an unctuous, cloudy concoction of flavours.

Steamed wild caught hake with fermented black beans, "lap yok" (air dried spiced pork belly) braised baby romaine lettuce and celeriac frothy milk

A dish that allowed the natural subtle sweetness of the wild hake to be enjoyed, the consommé boasted a decadent depth of flavour and was the perfect accompaniment to the fish.

Blaye’s white asparagus in fried garlic crust, "onsen" style farm egg and spring almond sabayon

We loved the perfectly poached onsen egg which was accompanied by deliciously crusted white asparagus and slathered with silky smooth almond sabayon. It was a simple dish executed to perfection.

Poached farm yellow chicken, nori sea weed, clams, samphire, parsnip and uni

The chicken was tender and superbly cooked courtesy of being gently poached while the nori added an addictive salinity to the dish.

Slow cooked and lacquered BBQ black pork, Sichuan braised eggplant and seasonal vegetable pickles

One of our absolute favourite courses from our evening was the dish of “char siu" style black pork with Sichuan braised eggplant. It was a well-conceived dish that took full advantage of the eggplant’s most notable characteristic – its supple flesh. The thick pieces of eggplant were encrusted with beautifully caramelised Sichuan sauce. The creamy eggplant flesh melted in the mouth in a manner similar to unctuous pork fat. Paired with the tender char siu, this gem of a dish was one that commands respect.

Sago, coconut and mango - creamy coconut tapioca with mango and coconut sherbet, cracked meringue

The mellow creamy coconut tapioca concoction, together with the coconut sherbet and crisp cracked meringue, cut through the slight fruity acidity of the mango to produce a balanced and delectable dessert.

Equatorial chocolate ganache, sorbet and crumbled biscuit with black sesame praline sauce and royale, minted mousse

The equatorial chocolate ganache was velvety smooth dark chocolate fudge goodness and combined well with the refreshing minted mousse and luxurious sorbet. The addition of black sesame praline added interest as well as a great textural component to the dessert.

Hidden within Rue du Cancera, Restaurant Dan is a refreshing addition to Bordeaux’s culinary landscape with his intelligent combination of French cuisine with Chinese influences.