The Pourcel brothers open a restaurant in Geneva
In the heart of "Soho Geneva"
Manager Marc-Antoine Nissile is quite confident: "We have worked for months before opening to try to create a new atmosphere in Geneva in this district of Pâquis which is undergoing a complete transformation and is now referred to as "Soho Geneva". By creating a contemporary establishment on the foundations of the former Rivoli hotel that the Dupasquier family bought in 2005, the intention was clearly to give an Asian touch, since Anne-Marie Dupasquier's mother has some Filipino roots, but also a clearly European touch since Pierre Dupasquier (her husband) hails from Jura. A total of 37 rooms, two "junior" suites (35 m²) and two duplex suites (53 and 40 m²) that overlook a patio with a water wall, something you rarely find in Geneva.
A bar and a restaurant
Then there are the attractions of this hotel classified "superior 4-star": the restaurant (accommodates up to 22 diners) and the bar (seats 30). Jacques Pourcel, the adventurer-traveler of the little group that he put together with his brother and Olivier Château, being the "ambassador". Thibaut Peyroche d'Arnaud, known for his Table de l'Horloge in Uzès and who has worked alongside the Pourcel brothers, will be, for a good five years, the official chef, who interprets this cuisine that is "new, modest, without any ambition of being rewarded stars and clearly differs from the stiff Geneva competition", as Jacques Pourcel makes a point of emphasizing.
Tapas and chic bistro cuisine
Beautifully presented and good, is the main theme of Pourcel's cuisine. Very "trendy" East and West tapas with this duck liver placed over beets, potatoes stuffed with truffles, a shrimp ravioli in a Thai broth, plunged in a small fine porcelain dish. Original choice of white wines such as this wine produced by the Cabissole family from the Domaine de la Jonquière (Hérault) or this Sauvignon from Languedoc, Coteau Dardagny 2006, fruity and served very fresh. One regret: the staff should spend more time sampling each dish to know how to sell their virtues to customers.
