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La Biskatcha Restaurant Review

Fine Dining that Offers a Change from the Typical Savoyard Cuisine

featured in Restaurant reviews Author Ally MacLeod, Morzine Reporter Updated

A refreshing and unique fine dining experience in the centre of Les Gets, ‘La Biskatcha’ is one of two new restaurants within the Hotel Marmotte, bringing a menu of locally sourced cuisine that whisks you away to sunnier climates in the midst of the cold, alpine surroundings.

The Hotel Marmotte has been part of the Mirigay Family since 1947, welcoming guests from all over the world to relax and enjoy time well-spent in the friendly and lively resort of Les Gets. The homely and cosy chalet has grown over the years, and their success story now encompasses 48 guest rooms, four restaurants, a spa and the Hotel La Tapiaz. Admired for their imagination and passion for bringing something special to the table, the Mirigay Family have opened their new concept restaurant ‘La Biskatcha’ - a fine dining experience inspired by it’s alpine brother – La Päika.

Talk to returning guests and residents of Les Gets, and they will sing praises of La Päika the mountain restaurant on the La Turche slope masterminded by Mirigay Family. Well known for it’s sun-bathed terrace, it’s wood fire grill and the fresh and delicious mountain food that comes off of it, La Päika has inspired the creation of La Biskatcha to meet the desire for a rich and diverse alternative to the many regional Savoyard menus in town. Cheese is wonderful don’t get us wrong, but raclette and fondue are a novelty dining experience that many of us can only bare to enjoy once every now and again.

Designed to be an environment for sociable and relaxing dining, the restaurant has a bar area with an open plan kitchen and charcoal grill, and a sophisticated, rustic dining space warmly lit with funky orange light shades hanging over each table. Spacious and inviting, the restaurant was divided into smaller rooms by unfinished wood and glass walls that hushed the clatter of cutlery. The restaurant interior complements the food on the menu, which has Latin American and Spanish influences that bring bursts of colour, spice and flavour to the table. By mixing an open buffet style service with choices out of the kitchen or off the charcoal grill, they provide a wide choice of dishes to suit a variety of tastes.

It is a feast for the eyes. We were swept off our feet by the array of colour on show at their freshly prepared salad and soup starter buffet which was laid out ready for arriving guests. Open to the public as well as residents of the hotel, La Biskatcha welcomes large groups for a three course evening meal equally to a couple looking for a glass of wine and some bits to nibble on – an ideal place to wind down after a day out skiing.

We first sat at the Spanish-inspired Bar L’Anka, where a menu of tapas dishes and cocktails gave us a glimpse of the rays of sunshine to come. The Bar L’Anka appeals to casual diners looking for a light meal, offering a range of fresh and delicious tapas dishes including mint and lamb koftas, patatas bravas succulent squid in chilli oil, shawarma rolls, salsa and delicately seasoned baba ganoush.

It was a breath of fresh air to helpings of cheese, charcuterie and bread so often eaten out here; the dishes together were light and spicy, and at only €4.50 a dish they were great value for money too. The French are notoriously reserved when it comes to spicy food, but here in the modern and inspired kitchen of La Biskatcha we found a couple of dishes that packed a good punch!

Despite it’s exclusive Grill & BBQ concept, the prices are exceptionally friendly – choose the ‘Menu Biska’ for free rein on the starter and dessert buffets, with your choice of grill dish, pasta, dish or main dish – all for €38. Not to mention you’re spoilt for choice when it comes to a glass of wine. The broad wine list offered everything from regional Haute Savoie wines to a rich Côtes Du Rhône red and a sunny, fruity Pinot Grigio.

It was delight getting stuck into the starter buffet, which flaunted a rich and creamy lobster soup, large bowls of mango and shrimp salad and beetroot and goats cheese salad, and some crunchy fried corn nuts amongst other sprinklings of seeds and nuts which brought texture to your plate. The lobster soup was so moreish and well seasoned that it was hard not to go back for thirds after the second helping!

Service was professional and swift, and after choosing the ‘Plat du jour’ – a fish skewer of monkfish, scallops, prawns and smoked pork off the charcoal grill – it was cooked to order and was brought straight to the table in a matter of seconds from leaving the grill. The fish and meat were treated with respect, cooked to perfection with an almost sweet smoked flavour, and the contrast of creamy scallops to meaty monkfish to smoked pork was simply delicious. The Beef Mafe, an African dish of beef and peanut-based sauce was a rich and warming stew dish from the main kitchen, just one of the many succulent main dishes on the menu.

To finish we got to admire and then enjoy the beautiful dessert buffet table laden with glistening French patisserie sweets, including eclairs, millefeille, tart au citron and tart framboises. A neat idea, and nice reminder that despite the fusion of cultures, La Biskatcha is a brave new concept pioneering modern French cuisine in the Haute Savoie region.

Location

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