Parisian Gourmet addresses
Even though French cuisine's hegemony is highly contested nowadays, you will still find in Paris some of the greatest restaurants of the world. Here is a quick review of our editorial staff's favorites
Helen, gourmet delights of the sea
After Chez Catherine, the 3 Rue Berryer now welcomes the new restaurant Helen. Just a couple of blocks away from the famous Champs-Elysées with its majestic Arc de Triomphe, this little restaurant is a pure delight for fish lovers. Carefully selected by the fishermen and freshly delivered every morning, this restaurant serves a varied selection of the most noble fishes ... grouper, carabinero, sea bream, all skillfully prepared by chef Franck Barrier and his team. To crown your meal with a sweet tooth, Fauchon's former pastry chef will come up with the most delightfull dessert suggestions.
Price: 60 € daily lunch menu
L'Instant d'Or, a golden moment
How interesting it is to meet chef Frédéric Duca again. After working for great chefs such as Gérad Passédat of le Petit Nice in Marseille, Michel del Burgo or more recently Hélène Darroze in Paris, Duca finally gets to manage his own cuisine. Set in a bright and modern decor realized by Marc Hertrich and Nicolas Adnet, the three dining rooms create the perfect ambiance for Duca's dishes. Butter-poached lobster on squid-ink tagliolini, and scallops with ham served with delicate hazelnut wafers, everything is light and refined. Japanese pastry chef Kirko Nakamura is in charge of the desserts and creates wonderful fruit based compositions for a gourmet finish. Definitely one of our favorites!
Price: around 90 €
One hundred years ago…
Opened in 1912, Benoit is celebrating its hundred year anniversary. Since Ducasse took on the restaurant in 2005, the French chef brought the bistrot into an era of modernity but still in tune with its traditions. The home-like atmosphere behind its shear lace curtains goes well together with the quality of the cuisine prepared by Ducasse and his exceptional team. And, as a great occasion needs a great meal, a 100 €menu will be proposed for Benoit's birthday, revisiting its timeless specials such as foie gras, fillets of Nantua sole and of course, the unmistakable
" agneau de lait ". Come and celebrate with Ducasse!
Price: around 90 € / lunch menu for 36 €
Absinthe, the French-American touch
Located in the heart of the 1st arrondissement, on the Place du Marché Saint-Honoré, l'Absinthe is an interesting and modern bistrot. Set in a New York city like decor with its red brickwall, you will find typically French dishes on the menu. Whether your prefer fish with a delicious marinated cod marinated roasted in soy sauce, or opt for meet and find the crispy filet mignon served with potatoes and bacon on your plate, l'Absinthe is one of those great spots to enjoy a good meal.
Price: around 45-50 €
1868, poetry and food
The brand new Edmond Hotel is located in the 17h arrondissement and pays a tribute to the French poet Edmond Rostand. The restaurant named 1868, the date of birth of the author, is run by chef Jean-Sébastien Pouch. This former Bristol resident created a simple and refined menu perfectly in touch with the 1868's atmosphere. With a menu that changes every month this is a place when looking for variation and gourmet cuisine.
Price: 48 € for the diner menu >
Juillet 2012
