Our latest trip to Paris incorporated some highly praised establishments (on this board and elsewhere) with a few excellent newcomers. Here is a short recap:
Pantagruel: a solid, reasonably priced 3-course lunch menu with a lovely service team, was highlighted by a pigeon-cuttlefish main course done 3-ways, including a gently bbq’d pigeon breast with blueberries and blackberries. A recent dessert menu addition built around grapes and saffron was quite good. Nothing was necessarily remarkable enough here to warrant a visitor such as myself to go out of my way to return, but if I were based in Paris, it would be a worthwhile stopping point.
Gemellus: a number of commenters on this board recommended Gemellus, and for that I am most appreciative. This intimate establishment is turning out creative, seasonal fare with a personal touch. A starting sip of warming, rich vegetable broth on what was an unusually cold and rainy night began the procession. It was followed by a very successful poached lobster claw in vanilla-marigold sauce, topped with diced celeriac and peach, accompanied by marigold sorbet. Later highlights included steamed pollock with grilled and pureed cep mushrooms, capped with a watercress sauce came next, followed by an expertly grilled pigeon in its own reduction, with seared foie gras, blackberries and blueberries. It was admittedly a far stronger dish than the quite similar effort at Pantagruel. A composition built around chocolate textures completed the meal. The 100 euro 5-course menu was punching well above its weight, and the service here was also quite friendly. I would absolutely return.
Geoelia: this recent addition to the Paris dining scene is helmed by a young chef with clear ambition and capability. While the room was quiet and only occupied by a couple of visitors for our lunch, I imagine this will change as word gets out about this restaurant. The meal kicked off with a sensational tomato tartlet amuse. The only unmemorable, albeit capably executed dish was the first starter, comprised of whelk in a mild sauce. From that point forward things elevated rapidly, beginning with a delicious dish of braised lettuce topped with lardo in a venison reduction, lightly poached pollock in a dill hollandaise with seasoned greens, and an exceptional piece of rare, grilled jersey beef in a squid ink and roe sauce. The first of two desserts was quite memorable; flambéed Mirabelle plums with raw milk ice cream. The finisher of oyster paired with various textures and tastes of lemon (sorbet, meringue, grilled, and peel) was a briny, tart, ambitious swing that worked, and cleansed my palate. Service was professional, friendly and unobtrusive. I’d recommend trying this restaurant for lunch or dinner before they receive a star.
Origines: another venerable restaurant that came highly recommended, and it did not disappoint. My dining companion and I went for lunch, but took to the suggestions of others, opting for the longer format tasting menu. It incorporated nearly every dish that’s currently featured on the a la carte. The meal here was consistently outstanding, and most noteworthy for the quality of seasonally driven product and creativity. The procession began with lightly marinated red mullet, seasoned with rouille, fennel shavings, dill oil and saffron bouillabaisse jelly. Tandoori butter seared prawns came next, coupled with a foie gras stuffed ravioli, black trumpet mushrooms, crispy buckwheat, in a marigold-lobster bisque. The chef’s signature cep mushrooms in a fricassee followed, accompanied by foie gras, hints of coffee, topped by a crisp wafer with slivered porcinis. We next moved on to the John Dory stiffened in olive oil, topped with bottarga, and accented with barigoule artichokes and artichokes. The final savory course was an exceptional piece of veal cooked medium rare in its own jus spiked with walnut oil, with stewed pine morels, roasted onions, and potato mouselline. A tart apple sorbet cleansed the palate before a dessert comprised of natural and roasted white peach, Madagascar vanilla whipped cream, and caramelized sesame puff pastry. This meal was consistently excellent from start to finish, and was another must return spot.
Maison Dubois: a newcomer from a chef who had a long stint at Pierre Gagnaire (which comes through at times in the generous amuse bouches and certain side components to his dishes), this was another intimate, homey establishment, with a very professional and affable service team, including a chef and brigade that was very much out and about and interactive throughout the meal. Our 5 course menu here wound up being far more food than that. The chef generously brought out an array of amuses to begin, and slipped in a complimentary course of delicious squid stuffed with veal, in a squid ink sauce during the meal. Prior to receiving this dish, we enjoyed a lightly cooked langoustine with greens, in a tarragon cream sauce. This was followed by a delicious candied trout cooked in butter sauce, with long beans, and finally a rich, decadent fillet of rare beef with a seemingly superfluous cuttlefish and corn component, in a wonderful beet and bourguignon sauce. To the side of this was a pear-horseradish mousseline that cut the richness. The meal concluded with Mirabelle plums, both flambéed and uncooked, paired with saffron ice cream, and finally some chocolate ganache served with homemade cookies in the shape of sticks for eating the ganache. All in all this was a delicious meal, albeit it at a higher price point, with an approach that leaned more heavily into the classic French tradition of sauces. If you are seeking out this style for a special occasion, it is absolutely worth a visit, but bring a hearty appetite!
Irwin: this restaurant only opened a few months ago, and was another to feature an ambitious young chef, along with an outstanding pastry chef. Our meal at Irwin, like Origines, was consistently outstanding from one course to the next, but like Geoelia, it was only half full during our lunch service. I imagine this too shall change as word gets out about the amazing things coming out of the kitchen, and expect it will receive one star. Our meal began with a lovely Corsican tart, topped with a light, tangy cheese (I didn’t catch the name) parsley, and olive oil, and was quickly followed by a cleansing vegetable broth that was reminiscent of our opener at Gemellus. The first course was a take on Moules frites, featuring tiny mussels out of the shell, with finely diced potato, potato mouselline, and crispy potatoes, dressed lightly in olive oil. An absolutely superb piece of pike stiffened in olive oil followed this, accompanied by creamed nettles, garlic milk, in a matelot sauce. The meat course was a beautifully seared breast and leg of quail in its own jus, with braised radicchio and caramelized onions. A lovely piece of Saint-Nectaire bridged the savory portion of our meal to the sweet. Sensational as all savory courses were, they were equally matched by the dessert program. The sweet portion of our meal began with poached and pickled rhubarb, with fermented milk cream, fir ice cream, and a hibiscus sauce. It was quite refreshing and light. Ingenuity followed in the form of what will likely become an iconic dessert associated with this establishment, that I’ll loosely describe as a range of vanilla flavors, studded with miso and hazelnut. I’ll leave it to others to discover it more intently. Things concluded with a wonderful Mirabelle plum tart that visually harkened back our opening bite. A terrific meal with another young, friendly service team.
Oktobre: on the positive side, we encountered yet another friendly welcome, and found the proteins in our menu to be well sourced and prepped, however, Oktobre was otherwise a disappointment. The dishes here were generally far too busy and unfocused, and there were some serious service lags between courses. With so many great restaurants in Paris, I would not return here, and believe there are better options at a comparable price point.
Overall, my companion and I enjoyed a truly strong grouping of meals, with near uniformly excellent service, and well-sourced product, from creative and highly capable kitchens. It was interesting to see certain trends unfold, namely in the use of marigold as a flavor component, and the coupling of cuttlefish with meat, just as it was great to arrive at a time when ceps and Mirabelle plums factored in heavily. I look forward to whenever it is that I might return, and until then will be eager to read about the experiences of my fellow diners.
