Duck Breast Moromi-Zukeyaki in Bordeaux: The Chef’s Signature Dish at Pavillon Yuasa, a Japanese Fine-Dining Restaurant

Written by the editorial team of Pavillon Yuasa, a Japanese fine-dining restaurant in the heart of the Chartrons district in Bordeaux. Under chef Junichi Yamano, every dish on our omakase menu is prepared à la minute, in the Japanese tradition reimagined for the French palate.

In short: the duck breast Moromi-Zukeyaki is Pavillon Yuasa’s signature dish. The duck is marinated in moromi — the lees of Yuasa’s artisanal soy sauce — then grilled over Japanese charcoal, for a Japanese dish you won’t taste anywhere else in Bordeaux.

What is duck breast Moromi-Zukeyaki?

Moromi-Zukeyaki brings together two founding gestures of Japanese cuisine: zuke (the marinade) and yaki (the grill). The duck breast — magret de canard — is first marinated at length in moromi, the fermented mash from which soy sauce is drawn, then seared over charcoal until the skin turns lacquered and the flesh stays pink.

The result is surprising: where Japanese gastronomy usually spotlights fish, this dish puts duck at the centre, wrapped in deep umami and a light, smoky bitterness. It is a centrepiece of our menu, conceived as a bridge between French cuisine and the Japanese culinary art.

Yuasa soy sauce: the soul of the dish

You cannot understand this duck without Yuasa, a small town in Wakayama prefecture regarded as the birthplace of soy sauce in Japan. That is where Pavillon Yuasa takes its name — and its signature.

The moromi used for the marinade is the living matter of this artisanal soy sauce: a mash rich in enzymes, salt and umami. By marinating the duck in it, our Japanese chef gives the meat a depth of flavour impossible to achieve otherwise. This know-how, rare in Bordeaux, is what sets our Japanese fine dining apart.

A duck between Japan and South-West France

Choosing duck is no accident in a Japanese restaurant in Bordeaux. An emblem of South-West French gastronomy, the magret naturally converses with the region’s great wines. Prepared the Japanese way, it becomes a meeting of two culinary cultures: the precision of the Japanese gesture and the Bordeaux terroir.

Served in thin slices, the duck breast Moromi-Zukeyaki pairs especially well with a Bordeaux red — a match our guests rediscover at every service.

Where to eat this dish in Bordeaux? The counter at Pavillon Yuasa

Pavillon Yuasa is a Japanese fine-dining restaurant set in the heart of the Chartrons, a short walk from Bordeaux city centre. The intimate dining room seats only about a dozen guests per service, gathered around the counter where the chef works.

The duck breast Moromi-Zukeyaki belongs to our omakase approach: a menu where the chef composes the journey, from sushi to wagyu, following the seasons and the day’s catch. Depending on the evening, you’ll find it across our tasting menus — Omakase, Wagyu Sumibi-Yaki and Sushi Kaiseki — in a setting designed for an exceptional dinner.

How to book your table?

Pavillon Yuasa is open by reservation only, Tuesday to Saturday from 7:30 pm. Evenings are often fully booked several weeks ahead.

1. Step 1: check availability on our online booking calendar.
2. Step 2: tell us the number of guests and any allergies (48 h notice).
3. Step 3: receive your confirmation email.
4. Step 4: come and discover the duck breast Moromi-Zukeyaki at the counter.

Address: 9 rue Camille Godard, 33000 Bordeaux. Service: Tuesday–Saturday, 7:30 pm–10:00 pm.

Frequently asked questions

The signature dish of one of the best Japanese restaurants in Bordeaux, the duck breast Moromi-Zukeyaki awaits you at the counter of Pavillon Yuasa.

Book your table ➡︎