Maison Benoît Vidal

Having come down to Annecy from Val d'Isère, Benoît Vidal has set up shop in this restaurant with a slick contemporary decor. The Catalan chef, who hails from Perpignan and has worked with Michel Trama and Michel Guérard, has created a light, poetic brand of cuisine that is rooted in the culinary traditions of Savoie, his adopted home. He brings a sense of precision and his own personal style to bear on the rigorously sourced ingredients, elevating them with sound technical skill and elaborate presentations. The strength of this chef may well lie in his pared-down, apparently simple creations: a crayfish starter cleverly combining a slightly bitter coffee and pine bud sabayon with a powerful, concentrated jus made from the crayfish heads; semi-smoked pigeon seasoned with citrus and hazelnut – an understated and elegant dish. Appealing vegetarian set menu ("Sentier à fleur d'eau") and attractively priced lunch menu. There is also bistronomy-style fare at Côté Bistrot (lunchtime only).