Gironde: discover Akoya, a cuisine with a taste of audacity in Castillon-la-Bataille

He, 29, is a chef trained in Italian cuisine. She, 40, a former communications professional in Dubai who changed careers out of passion, graduated from the culinary school in Cap d'Agde and worked in a Michelin-starred restaurant in Mougins. Together, they seized the opportunity to take over this small restaurant in the center of Castillon-la-Bataille.

Here, you won't find pizza or sushi, but rather refined, locally sourced creations: Japanese-style beef carpaccio, burrata with miso and yuzu, grilled cod loin with yuzu-olive jus, or matcha tiramisu. The menu, short and carefully curated, changes every six months. "Our focus is on taste, but also on respecting fresh produce," emphasizes Jonathan, who sometimes prefers to run out of ingredients rather than serve a frozen dish.

The people of Castillon are gradually being won over. "We thought it was too modern for us, and we were blown away!" smiles Brigitte, a regular visitor.

Theme nights, wine tastings, a warm atmosphere: Akoya is forging its connection with the city and its surroundings. Its name, borrowed from a Japanese pearl, is no coincidence.

In a corner of Gironde where original addresses are rare, Akoya shines like a bubble of travel, between miso and parmesan, between Mediterranean sweetness and Japanese precision.

“Every week, discover a new restaurant tested and recommended by the Sud Ouest editorial team in our “Table of the Week” section.”