A reference in Toulouse bistronomy since its beginnings on rue Merly then place Damloup, the address formerly known as Rocher de la Virginie continues its history under a new identity. After the departure of its founding chef Mika Lecumbery in 2025, a loyal team took over and evolved the cuisine towards Catalan inspirations, while retaining the spirit that forged its reputation.
Prix Fooding When he was still rue Merly, Mika Lecumbery succeeded in creating an emblematic address of Toulouse bistronomy with the Rocher de la Virginie. Swaying, as identity-rich as possible, the restaurant has marked a generation of relaxed gourmands, not knowing what to expect with each new bite of the fork but ready to die in front of a simple dish of tripe.
The move to Damloup Square reframed things a little but nothing had really changed, and we still enjoyed it just as much. Then Mika Lecumbery leaves the ship at the beginning of 2025 and stays in Toulouse, where he will soon open his new harbor.
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The team is mobilizing, Paul has been in the kitchen with the chef for seven years, Freddy in the dining room, and all these little people, as well as Antoine Brody (in the kitchen), Maïder (Mika’s eldest daughter) and even Mika in the background, come together to continue to keep this emblematic place alive. From now on, we forget the Basque origins of Mika, the Rock of the Virgin, so dear to the Biarrots is far away, becomes the Rock, period.
What’s new?
The spirit is still there, the decor too, we are not disoriented when sitting down at Le Rocher, Paul in the kitchen and Freddy in the dining room having been part of the walls for a couple of years. On the other hand, it is the Catalan origins of the young chef which influence the dish. And going from the Basque Country to Catalonia is no small thing!
“In the kitchen, we obviously keep the same state of mind while trying to be a little less freestyle, to give more precision in the plates, confides Paul. The fish is a little more present and we made an effort on the desserts.” Pass behind a chef who has left his mark, with an aura with an entire community of customers, it’s not easy, and the duo is doing wonderfully.
À table !
It’s 12:30, hunger is starting to make itself felt, the counter facing the kitchens is waiting for us and nothing compares to this proximity to the ballet of service. A meticulous tuna tartare, just placed on a kind of bouncing salsa verde, sets our taste buds in motion in less time than it takes to say it. More, please!
Candied eggplant, feta, reassuring taggiasche olives. For the start of the season, the olives are perfect, candied but still presentable, fresh as hell, still very good. A moment of bravery with marinated sardines, tomato sauce, spices and socca. We’re in the thick of things, that’s right, the sauce shakes, marks the taste buds, the tangy and iodized freshness of the marinated fish calms things down and we end up reassured by biting into the socca (Niçoise pancake made from chickpea flour), a magnificent starter!
From his Catalan origins, Paul has retained a particular love for rice and this is instantly felt in his poor man’s rice served with line-caught mackerel. A bowl would not have been enough to calm our desire for him. Fat, nourished with broth, the “fourzitou” that his grandmother could serve him. He had some fat left from the guanciale, some chistorra, everything was there and we were moved by it, our mouths covered, a smile on our lips.
Finish on a beef tartare from Marty’s house, fries. The chocolate heart will be for the next time, because we will return very quickly to this ode to happiness that is the Rock!
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