We will be stopping in paris for 3 night iin November including sunday night as part of our gourmet trip to Europe ( spain , sweden and norway). This is our 6th trip to Paris , as usual, we always try out new restaurant when we are in paris, and our list would always include a star restaurant, a traditional bistro , and a modern bistro to our list . I would like to get feedback on my shortlist
Sunday Dinner-- Clamato,/ L’Assisette/ Aux Crus De Bourgogne/ Petrelle
Tuesday Lunch–Alliance/Yamtcha/Blanc by Shinichi Sato
Tuesday Dinner–Kei/Plentitude/L’ Astrance
We would like to try one 3 star restaurant on this trip , we had dined at L’Aperge, L’Ambroise, Ledoyen, Le Cinq, Epicure in the past, out of all the 3 star we tried , we like L’Ambroise the most, is Kei and Plentitude still recommended? How is the new L’Astrance, we did not try when it was still 3 star.
We also really like Table by Bruno Verjus ( is there any restaurant in paris with similar concept that really focus on superb ingredient )
Had anyone tried the Blanc by Shinichi Sato, we didn’t get to his previous Passage53 restaurant
Any new patisserie that is worthy to try, we stay near the Cedric Grolet Opera, so we will sure check it out
Would you swap La Rotonda for L’Assiette or Aux Crus De Borguogne
For us, food in particular quality of the ingredient ( not necessarily luxe ingredient) matter the most to us when it come to enjoying our meal, we care less for the ambience or decor.
I have not eaten at all of the restaurants on your list, but I would not trade L’Assiette for La Rotonde (assuming you meant this brasserie?). Difference between a chef at the helm, and a brasserie turning out serviceable, but not creative, dishes. Don’t get me wrong, there are times in Paris when I would definitely go for the brasserie, when I don’t want to think too much about my meal, and just want something easy and standard. There’s a place for that, for sure, but not what you are asking for (and seeming want to eat at every one of your five mealtimes in Paris).
My understanding is that Table is in a class of its own, but I’ll let others weigh in on this. I am hoping to eat there when I am in town over the new year. But if you haven’t eaten at Amarante, it fits the bill for excellent quality of ingredients in a no-frills (but perfectly comfortable) ambience. Also, it is open on Sundays and Mondays.
What stamina you must have ! If I shoved all those great restaurants and tasting menus into 3 short days, I’d be comatose for at least a fortnight.
With the caveat that my tastes/ preferences/ style are way different than yours, I suggest you add Perception near the very top of your to-do list. Also have a look at Mallory Gabsi in the 17th to see if it appeals. And I would cross off has-been Septime very quickly.
I for one don’t think you can—or should-- elevate trad cuisine into something other than comforting cuisine de grand-mère. All that I ask of a trad resto is that everything (including desserts) is made on the premises. Since both tiny Clamato and ultra-charming Petrelle are not trad but rather bistronomique and/or modern French and since you are totally focused on the food on the plate, L’Assiette is probably the best fit for you. Moi, I would opt for the sparkle, vibe, and location of Aux Crus de Bourgogne but I am not you.
Shinichi Sato’s place is not yet open and, so far, just PR but no good intel yet. I liked Passage 53 when it first opened but then it was overtaken by so many other excellent but very similar Japanese-cheffed modern French restaurants in Paris that it became a blur. I fear that Blanc could turn out to be just another Japanese-cheffed French gastro restaurant.
“Near the Opéra” is not really the best area for sampling “la vie Parisienne” in general or its culinary delights in particular. Galeries Lafayette Gourmet has an excellent cluster of star pâtisseries like Pierre Hermé, Yann Couvreur, Philippe Conticini, Dalloyau et al but a more limited selection than in their shops elsewhere in Paris. Pâtisserie Cédric Grolet is ok (and convenient for those staying “near the Opéra”) but hardly a standout in a city with so many good pâtisseries like Pierre Hermé, Bontemps, Laurent Duchêne etc etc.
Need not worry about stamina and stomach room, we used to do up to 5 meal per day when we travel to Japan ( we travel there 5 times per year on average, we are quite conservative in having one lunch and one dinner.
We are set for L’Asissette for Sunday dinner. We are still undecided whether to do Kei or Plentitude . Any taker ? We have tried all the 3 star tokyo french restaurant , I like to know if there is a huge difference between Tokyo Japanese French vs Paris Japanese French. We had tried E.T, La Table d Aki and Pages in the past, only Table d Aki stand out as different from the tokyo french restaurant, as the food is quite similiar to L’Ambroise that we also very fond of.
Is septime no longer recommended? We have decided to give Perception a pass on this trip
If food and chef using top notch ingredient as the only factor to consider, which of the following would you choose: Jeanne-Aimee/ Pantragruel/ Petrelle/ L’Astrances
As we travel to Japan frequently, all the pattisserie you mentioned above also have outpost in Tokyo, and thus we have try them all both in Tokyo and Paris. We are Pierre Hermes fans but we want to know if there is any new and standout patisserie in paris as we are eager to try
At Kei you’ll get plenty of (over-)attention, but I was completely underwhelmed by the meal there. There are many 1* that have provided me better meals.
As for l’Astrance, I’ve not been to the new iteration, but it has received decidedly mixed reviews.
I haven’t been to a 3-star for years. They were always expense account territory for me and, given their astronomical prices, my company has decided they are just not worth it. However, I did have a VERY impressive dinner with what seemed impeccably sourced ingredients at the Cheval Blanc Saint-Tropez (where the chef now at Plénitude was in charge) just before Covid hit. And maybe a huge plus for you, the pastry chef seems to be in a class of his own… the local tom-toms tip him as the best in Paris at the moment but I have not had a meal at Plénitude to verify. I have had a dinner at Kei and struggled to enjoy the food and the chilling vibe and quickly decided never again… but that was 5 or 6 years ago.
I hadn’t realized that Laurent Duchêne and Bontemps (not new but outstanding in my book) had a presence in Tokyo.
There must be something in the air or alignment of the stars because I have had some of the most memorable desserts/ pastries of my life this year. All at restaurants though. Special mentions for the pastry cheffes at L’Oiseau Blanc/ The Peninsula Hotel in the 16th and Bellefeuille/ Saint James Hotel in the 16th.
Also some very notable additions to the pâtisserie scene in the last year. Among my faves: Stéphane Bersia on avenue Parmentier/ 11th and Butterfly Pâtisserie at Le Crillon on the place Concorde/ 8th. Yet, given the huge choice of excellent pâtisseries in pastry-paradise Paris, I wouldn’t say that any of them are really standouts.
