The story
Grains de Sel, at 113 Grand-Rue in Haguenau, France, serves modern cuisine and scored 13 in the Gault&Millau 2026 guide. The menu follows the seasons, and the restaurant occupies a fully renovated building beside the Halle aux Houblons.
Young chef Gaëtan Joly leads the kitchen, and the cooking draws on seasonal and regional ingredients. The restaurant holds a Michelin Recommended listing for 2026. Guests who are vegetarian or have allergies can mention this when booking, and the kitchen will adapt the menu.
A tiny pumpkin with confit onions, smoked tofu and herb cream stood out as the most convincing plate. Tender poultry from the Gruyère region, served on a spicy Tom Kha Gai base, was well received. The dessert closed the meal well: quinces cooked slowly in the oven in the style of a Tarte Tatin, with brioche cream and pecan praline. The pike dumpling with Lake Geneva crayfish was less successful, and the reviewer found the seared mackerel too tart.
The room was once the paneled ballroom of a hotel, now a bistro with what the reviewer called nostalgic chic. The restaurant's own description points to a smart yet cosy setting. The team also hosts private events, from family gatherings and friends' meals to cocktails and business lunches.
Recognition
Details
History
The paneled ballroom of a former hotel, now transformed into a bistro in the heart of Sainte-Croix, exudes nostalgic chic, while the seasonal and regional cuisine of young chef Gaëtan Joly is distinctly contemporary. During our autumn visit, the tiny pumpkin with confit onions, smoked tofu, and herb cream proved more convincing than the seared mackerel steaks served with overly tart kalamansi. The tender poultry from the Gruyère region on a spicy Tom Kha Gai base was well received, despite the superfluous parsnip chips. The main course, however, was slightly disappointing: the pike dumpling did not quite pair well with the Lake Geneva crayfish, and the dish itself lacked flavor. This was made up for, however, by the dessert featuring quinces slowly cooked in the oven à la Tarte Tatin, served with brioche cream and a pecan praline.
Location