ASPIC, perhaps my best Paris discovery

[pilgrim]

Aspic is Quentin Giroud’s tiny gem in the 9th, off rue Rochechouart. Giroud is passionate about creating plates that are beautiful, imaginative and delicious. But equally exciting is the price point of his 7 course “surprise” menu: 43€. This menu in a Michelin dining room could easily cost double, and, frankly, the two meals we have enjoyed at Aspic were considerably better than two we had in starred restaurants this year. This is a very special restaurant, intimate, sweet service, exciting and delicious food, a passionate host, a tremendous price/quality value ratio. I can’t remember when I’ve been more excited about a restaurant.

ASPIC | Quentin Giroud | 1 étoile MICHELIN / Restaurant Gastronomique / Paris

In French, but with great photos: http://foodandsens.com/made-by-f-and-s/a-la-petite-cuillere/aspic/

[naf]

I recently read this same article written by this food writer, she always has good tips and she has introduced me to gastronomy.

Yeah 43 euros is good for what they are serving. A practical question, just by looking at the photos, the portions seem small on each plate, are there enough to fill the stomach?

[pilgrim]

The portions were not all that small. They seemed correct for the style of food. By the time we walked out, we waddled! Remember that you are having a starter, fish, vegetable and meat course plus small bite of cheese and lush dessert. And maybe a little wine?

[naf]

OK reserved for next weekend!

[bcc]

Sophie Brissaud is extremely reliable.

[pilgrim]

Sophie Brissaud is one of the most well versed food writers in France. She has authored many cookbooks under her own name as well as having “ghost written” a good number of the starred chef’s cookbooks that are published under their names. She is a ruthless critic at table and isn’t easily fooled.

[bcc]

No argument from me!

[naf]

Our meal end of November, more or less similar to Sophie Brissaud’s menu, except the cheese course.

It’s a menu surprise, so we tried our best imagine a wine that fit all dishes (without asking for the menu). We have chosen a Brouilly by Jean-Claude Lapalu 2015, refreshing and light.

We were given very nice house made kaffir lime butter, sided with fleur de sel and with some pepper pancetta

Pumpkin / Squash cream with hazelnut oil, toasted almond, summer Beaufort cheese et black pepper

Entry is octopus tenderly cooked with reduced beetroot juice, red onion, cashew nut cream and decorated with oxalis - my favourite dish of the meal

Fish dish is a slice of Plaice, a flat fish in Turbot family accompanied by a broccoli purée, cockles and caper popcorn

Vegetable dish - Roasted celeriac with chestnuts chips, roasted hazelnuts, cèpes, reduced vegetable juice, shiitake powder, mustard and romanesco young leaves

Galice beef aged 50 days, smoke parsnip purée, spinach with shiitake powder, note that the brown spot above the meat is a piece of fat, quite delicious. my second favourite dish of the night

Cream cheese on a nut crackle (I think)

Crispy millefeuille with vanilla diplomat cream and salted butter caramel

Mignardises - lemon tarts and financiers

As the pilgrim has pointed out, the meal is 43€ with 8-9 dishes! Only 2 persons working in the kitchen with a girl serving and recommending wine. Interesting meal, obviously Chef Quentin Giroud loves purées and nuts, he loves using seasonal ingredients to cook. I think it was the most autumnal meal I have ever eaten in a restaurant!

ASPIC
24 Rue de la Tour d’Auvergne
75009 Paris
Tel : 09 82 49 30 98
Only open for dinner

cooking courses during the day

[plragde (Prabhakar Ragde)]

We were there on Jan 17. Several of our dishes overlapped with naf’s meal: the pancetta, soup, octopus, “cream cheese” (was explained to us as Roquefort mousse), and petit-fours.
The ones that differed:

Lieu noir, cauliflower purée, haddock emulsion, crispy leeks.

Roasted sweet onions (the origin was explained but I have not retained it), lardo di Colonnata, hazelnuts, maple syrup reduction.

Shoulder of Ibérico de Bellota, purée of white carrots, roasted salsify.

“Tarte Tatin”, crème fraiche, crumble, and an herb they were particular about but I have not figured out (sounded like “goa”).

We interacted with all three of the staff. Quentin in particular is amazingly unaffected and personable. It felt like a dinner party at a friend’s house rather than a meal in a restaurant. To have that atmosphere plus this great food at that price is really something. This is the best meal we’ve had of the week we’ve been in Paris so far (though a couple of others came close).

[naf]

Thanks for the write up!

@plragde

an herb they were particular about but I have not figured out (sounded like “goa”).

Maybe it’s Ghoa cress, usually use to accompany citrus or fruits.

@plragde

lardo di Colonnata,

My piece of lard di Colonnata, still not finished yet from December… it is sublime on bread!

Which is your favourite dish?

Which other restaurants have you been eating in Paris and worth mentioning?

[plragde (Prabhakar Ragde)]

Favourite dish at Aspic? The octopus was a surprise. I have braces on my teeth currently and wasn’t even sure I could eat it, but it was nicely textured. Also was dubious about the cashew purée, but it really worked. The pork was also really good.

Other meals we’ve had worth noting: Pierre Sang Boyer, Alliance, La Cantine du Troquet Cherche-Midi, Fulgurances, l’Assiette. I will report on these and meals scheduled in the few days we have left, a bit later on.

[naf]

@plragde

Favourite dish at Aspic? The octopus was a surprise.

It was really good.

@plragde

Other meals we’ve had worth noting: Pierre Sang Boyer, Alliance, La Cantine du Troquet Cherche-Midi, Fulgurances, l’Assiette. I will report on these and meals scheduled in the few days we have left, a bit later on.

Interesting list…(I always want to try Pierre Sang Boyer, and yes Fulgurances, they have a new chef in resident now…) and for now, hope the best for your food trip!

[naf]

Looking at the website of ASPIC today, the 43€ menu of 2017 was history, fixed 7 course menu is now 65€. Wine pairing for 35€.

Chef Guillaume Sanchez said in an interview recently that he believed good bargain bistro gastronomy is dead in Paris, due to the expensive costs, many of this type of restaurants closed down. According to him, one can now find good brasseries with a lot of seats, or sandwiches places. Well of course normal price gastronomy restaurants.

[SteveR]

Anyone have anything recent to say about this place, now only serving a 7 course menu (without choices) for 119euro? Different chef from when Pilgrim first wrote this up in 2016 & now with a Michelin star. Thanks.

[sfcarole (Carole)]

Our first visit to Aspic was on May 20, 2016, and the price was indeed 43€ for the chef’s 7-course dinner. Since then we have been once or twice a year for a total of about a dozen visits. The price really started to go up after the restaurant got a Michelin star in January 2020. But this is indeed news that Quentin Giroud is turning over the reins to Sami Chakour who has been there for five years. I’ll find out more about why Giroud is leaving when we have dinner there on the 20th. Hopefully, another opportunity for a larger restaurant in Paris?

[sfcarole (Carole)]

Quentin just replied to my email and said he will still be at the restaurant every day but not every night, will have the last word on every dish and is still the owner and manager.

[SteveR]

Thanks. We won’t be there until May so please let us know how your meal goes on the 20th. I’m looking forward to (finally) dining there. I assume that his presence during the day won’t lead to opening for lunch but maybe…?

[sfcarole (Carole)]

I’ve been asking him to open for lunch for years and he always says no, it takes too much prep time to do what they do for dinner. But maybe, with help now in the kitchen… who knows. I’ll ask again on the 20th.

[pilgrim]

Thanks for these, Carole. Do tell him hello and all best wishes from us!

[sfcarole (Carole)]

I certainly will. Hopefully also some intel on his future plans.