A few weekends ago, Ben and I drove out to Arcachon to spend the night at the Thalazur Thalassothérapie Spa and Hotel: a much-needed pause from the stress of planning a destination wedding with “Level: High” difficulty logistical organization. We spent the afternoon soaking in the massive salt-water pool, taking turns roasting and steaming in the dry and humid saunas, getting slathered in a kind of seaweed-infused mud, wrapped up in foil and submerged in warm water… When dinner hour finally arrived we were feeling just a tad too relaxed to walk down to the beach and find somewhere to eat, so we decided to shed our comfy white Thalazur robes for just long enough to head down to Côté d’Arguin Restaurant, on the first floor.

For our first course, we chose a gyoza stuffed with chicken, served in an aromatic and clean broth with julienned carrots and cucumber, along with bits of peanut adding a crunch. The skin of the dumpling was slippery and sleek here, crunchy and caramelized there, and thin enough not to overpower the delicate filling side. The dish was light and delicate, but with plenty to offer in terms of flavor and texture. Perfect with a glass of white after an afternoon of pampering.

For my main, I chose the juicy, very meaty filet of hake, which came on a bed of many different kinds of wild mushrooms (some as exotic as wood ear and oyster), and drizzled with a pan-dripping sauce. This was a very filling, generous portion but still light enough not to weigh me down for the rest of the night. Not the most exciting meal but just right for us that day, exactly the kind of meal that pairs well with a weekend of R&R by the sea.