Luxury Hotel Bordeaux
Le palace bordelais
Eight buildings joined together, 23 000 square metres in total dedicated to welcoming an international clientele; 150 rooms, including 22 suites, all of which have been open to the public since April 2008 and the majority provide a magnificent view of the Opera House… Nothing is too ambitious for this hotel complex, which employs 170 members of staff who busily strive to satisfy the requirements of customers from all over the world.
Almost as soon as one enters the palatial lobby one can perceive the intense buzz of activity wholly devoted to ensuring comfort for guests of this hotel. The Regent Grand Hotel de Bordeaux certainly houses a number of rare works, such as a monumental staircase made entirely of Bordeaux stone, the Acquart Courtyard and also the Marble Room, a reception salon used for “banquets and seminars”. These unique works all bear traces of history and emotion. But the classic style of the 18th and 19th centuries is naturally combined with the most contemporary demands of our modern era: this is indeed the hallmark of the well-known interior designer, Jacques Garcia. Everything here invites the visitor to relax in an ambience of opulence and serenity, from the luxury of “Fashion Avenue”, dedicated to ladies’ fashion, as well as fine jewellery and table arts, to a fitness centre and spa named “Les bains de Léa”, found on the 5th and 6th floors (to be opened at a later date).
Yves Mattagne’s inspiration can be sensed at the “Pressoir d’Argent”
On the first floor is a restaurant where the mood is both classic and stylish, a sanctuary of exquisite gastronomy which opened on 9th June this year. The “Pressoir d’Argent” has a total of 50 covers and also has a lounge bar providing access to an open-air balcony.
Well-known Belgian chef Yves Mattagne elaborated his concept in close collaboration with Pascal Nibaudeau, the Head Chef who coordinates his kitchens. Having worked for seven years for the chef of the ‘Sea Grill’ Restaurant in Brussels (Radisson Royal, also part of the Rezidor Group, two Michelin stars), this former pupil of the Hotel School in La Rochelle jumped at the chance of coordinating Yves Mattagne’s cuisine with a ‘South-West’ style! “This kind of opportunity only presents itself once in a career; I’m very proud of being given this position, but taking part in this venture also represents a great deal of work for Franck Montangon, the Maître d’hôtel, and for me.” Now running the restaurant, the two men clearly appraise the extent of their role, which is to convey the inspiration of seafood cuisine and proudly promote the creations of a team comprised of 14 chefs de partie, chefs commis, pastry chefs, assistant chefs… A large number of qualified and motivated staff who all share the same pride in working at this level of excellence and are keen to see the restaurant become the region’s essential gastronomic reference.
So how can one best describe the concept of the “Pressoir”? Besides a menu mainly composed of seafood dishes, the restaurant also has, as its name indicates, a lobster press. This made-to-measure implement weighing 40 kilos (half is made with solid silver) crushes coral and carcass to extract a delicious juice to which bisque will be added, and this sauce is then poured over the lobster meat before serving… With such a display before their eyes, customers are treated to a real show! Pascal Nibaudeau is delighted about bringing back into fashion the idea of preparations being done in the dining room, introducing the lively activity of the kitchens. “Our cuisine is all about fine balance” he tells us. “We place great importance on ensuring that savours described by the menu correspond perfectly to the food we serve: at the “Pressoir d’Argent”, customers eat what they order!” To mention one of his recent creations: a soup of curried mussels with absolutely astounding flavours…
Some of the seafood (bass, sole, turbot…) comes directly from the fish market in La Rochelle or Arcachon; the rest is sent from all over France or the world, depending on the culinary speciality (Barents crab – the legendary giant Kamchatka crab, which can measure as much as 2 metres wide, cod and lobster from Brittany…). Aquitaine is of course honoured by its local produce of caviar and foie gras.
The other original feature of the “Pressoir d’Argent” is that it presents all types of wine, red as much as white. Sommelier Vincent Delors has meticulously worked on creating food and wine combinations with the kitchen staff, offering an extremely wide range, which also includes 14 different wines served by the glass. “Foie gras pan-fried with braised chicory is excellent with a Pessac-Léognan, for example; red mullet is a very good match for a light red wine” Pascal Nibaudeau explains. He also intends to prove that certain red wines are also a good accompaniment to white-fleshed fish and shellfish. There is a selection of magnificent Champagne too (the Moët & Chandon group, in particular, has provided some exceptional bottles, such as a Dom Pérignon 1969).
An ideal cellar, especially for Bordeaux wines and spirits too, because they have the advantage of being showcased in this marvellous setting to connoisseurs and wine lovers keen to try out new food and wine combinations.The Regent Grand Hôtel Bordeaux
2-5 place de la Comédie
33000 Bordeaux
Tel : +33 (0)5 57 30 44 44
Fax : +33 (0)5 57 30 44 45
E-mail
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