Restaurant L'Impertinent — Restaurant in Bayonne

We arrived in a state best described as “respectably peckish” and left floating somewhere between delirium and enlightenment—somewhat financially less well off, yes, but spiritually fortified and possibly in love with a blue lobster.

It all began with a Negroni (mine, bitter as regret but twice as rewarding) and a Kir (hers, charming and deceptively cheerful). Then: a trio of amuse-gueules, clearly crafted by someone with a PhD in anticipation-building. Just as I began calculating how many of those it would take to equal dinner, the amuse-bouche arrived—a sliver of tuna resting on a base of cucumber that tasted like summer. Subtle, elegant, perfectly balanced.

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Act I Next came the lobster—or rather, a duet of lobster. One, gently wood-fired and lounging beside white peach, basil, and fennel. A dish dancing between sweetness and smoke. The other, a ravioli so delicate it could have doubled as haute couture, floating in a foam that whispered of cream, seashores, and some light French sorcery. Act I played out like a duet—each part elevating the other in perfect harmony.

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Act II A three-part fish opera:

First, grilled green beans in a smoked yogurt sauce—a lesson in how simple can still be sublime.

Next: the tuna itself, seared and served over a spicy sauce tinged with habanero. Alongside, a small tartare so fresh it made my life shimmer a little brighter for just a short moment.

By this point, I wasn’t eating—I was leading a one-man rescue mission, bread in hand, determined to liberate every last trace of bean sauce before it made a clean getaway across the porcelain.

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Act III The Kintoa pork followed—succulent, beautifully lacquered, served with summer truffle, sweet onion, and a deep, earthy sauce that begged for more wine. We obliged, of course.

At this stage, I should note that the wine pairings were not only excellent and generous—but also largely responsible for my rising sense of joy and general goodwill toward the universe.

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Act IV Then came dessert—because what better way to conclude a culinary saga than with sorbet, lemon granita, black bean cream (don’t ask, just surrender), and ice cream made from blue poppy seeds and a sense of wonder? All this accompanied by Éclipse, a sparkling wine that tasted like a Nordic summer night—brief, luminous, and utterly enchanting.

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And then, bliss. Petits fours arrived like tiny edible punctuation marks. Espresso was served. Someone poured something amber into a glass shaped like a poem. And for a few luminous minutes, time stopped caring about itself.

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The verdict: It was a journey from sea to land, a beautifully choreographed story of contrasting flavors and colors. Every dish was a new chapter, every sip a supporting verse. Three young mademoiselles conducted the evening with wit and grace, ensuring everything flowed with quiet precision.

It was a dinner to remember, firmly placing Biarritz on our culinary map forever.

Thank you for a lovely evening...

This is a PRE-review! I made a reservation at L'Impertinent several weeks ago for my wife's upcoming birthday and our 25th anniversary trip to Biarritz and San Sebastian. I just received a call from the manager to warn me that the restaurant will be holding a special neighborhood party the night of our booking. I think he expected me to be disappointed and cancel. I told him I was even MORE excited now! He ran down the chef's menu that will be served (instead of the gastronomic menu otherwise offered) which sounded fantastic but included a pork dish as the main. When I told him my wife is a pescatarian he said the chef would prepare a fish dish for her. I haven't even eaten here yet and I'm already thoroughly impressed with the service and consideration. I'm looking forward to our being guests at L'Impertinent. Merci beaucoup,...

A close one between 4 and 5 stars.

very delicious and creative food, throughout the whole degustacion menu great and friendly crew, from the waiter/waitress to the managers/chef biological, sustainable and high quality food/ingredients!

two minor "negative" points: we were kindly asked by the service if the speed between the courses is good. We said yes, but in the end we had very long pauses in between the last courses, while all the other guests we're served before us. Probably this was an unfortunate combination between an additional (cheese)-course we ordered and the booked-out restaurant... only one bathroom for the whole restaurant,(but maybe this is just the standard in restaurants in...