The story
Maju brings a refined bistro approach to La Turballe, anchored by chefs Julien and Marine Baradel. Julien trained at Paris Ferrandi and spent years in starred kitchens before returning to the Loire Atlantic coast. He applies a zero waste philosophy through smoking, drying, and fermentation to preserve the natural taste of regional harvests. Marine manages the front of house and curates the interior aesthetic.
The evolving menu highlights local seafood and produce through structured three or six course formats. A standout preparation features locally caught mackerel paired with cucumber, radish, and salicornia. Another selection showcases blue lobster cooked with roasted peppers and basil, followed by desserts blending buckwheat, ribot milk, or citrus thyme rhubarb. Each dish reflects the short supply chain that defines this regional bistro kitchen.
Visitors enter a modernist room defined by hardwood flooring and pale green walls surrounding an active kitchen. The entire venue stays climate controlled to ensure comfort during summer service. This grounded setting supports the restaurant’s recent recognition by the Le Fooding guide and a Lebey award for its finest fish creation. This steady rhythm honors a classic bistro tradition while pushing past it.
Recognition
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History
MA(rine) takes care of customers while JU(lien Baradel) is hard at work in the kitchen. The duo opened their modernist spot (hardwood floors, white and pale green walls, an open kitchen) on the Quai du Port in La Turballe on December 31st, 2022. That’s where the chef, who used to work for Ducasse, unveils locavore cuisine that’s impressively aesthetic and full of pep! The summer day we went for lunch, after some clever amuse-bouches (Parmesan shortbread topped with minty peas and trout roe, or line-caught hake escabeche enhanced with buttermilk, sherry vinegar and roasted green pepper oil), we had mackerel from the local seafood market prepared two ways – salted, smoked and then flash-seared on the salamander grill, and as a tartare atop a tartlet with Les Jardins de Kerpondarmes cucumber tagliatelle, plus marjoram oil and makrut lime sauce; then a quenelle made with guinea fowl from Saint-Molf, given a twist with mussels from Kercabellec and celery root from Huitric; as a main, a “simple” slow-cooked yellow pollack fillet paired with black olive tapenade, a locally-caught anchovy hollandaise sauce, and a zucchini blossom with green vegetables; plus strawberries prepared as a light vacherin for dessert, with Brière honey cream and daikon ice cream! // Larosé
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