Luxeat

Agapé Substance

 

Agapé Substance is like a breath of fresh air so needed in the Parisian gastronomic world. The neo bistrot on rue Mazarine ( in the 6th ) is tiny, has walls and ceilings made of mirrors and the chairs are not at all comfortable, but what you get on your plate is exciting ,sensational and simply very good. Give me Agapé Substance instead of any 3 Michelin stars restaurant in Paris at the moment, i will choose Agapé  without a second thought!

I had the "carte noire" ( black truffle menu), which included the following dishes:

 

Watercress "snow" with seashells stock  (Cold, fresh, acidic; pronounced seafood flavors thanks to the stock.)

Le Camion Qui Fume - The Best Burger in Paris

 

Finally you can find a burger in Paris as good as in the US. A gourmet food truck called Le Camion Qui Fume has been driving around Paris since one month only, but has already created a serious buzz around the concept and the fantastic burgers you will find nowhere in Paris(and personally, in all Europe). Le Camion Qui Fume doesn't have a fixed location, so you have to look up their website for their daily itinerary. This morning i went to their Porte Maillot location at 11 am and was very happy that went so early(they opened at 11 am) , as already at 11.15 there were people coming and queuing. Such a delicious and juicy burger prepared from  the best ingredients is a little revolution in the Parisian food world. Just go there and check it yourself!

 

 

Off the menu

 

Oxtail hachis parmentier with black truffles, oysters in sour cream sauce and oysters in watersea jelly are the dishes that make me come back  to Apicius,Paris every winter . These classic Jean- Pierre Vigato's  dishes are not on the menu anymore, but if you ask, the restaurant's kitchen will happily prepare them for you.

Michelin Paris 1976

I found this old Michelin guide at a hotel lounge in Rio de Janeiro. What is interesting that five out of six  3 Michelin starred restaurants in Paris in 1976 are still well and opened after 35 years. (Four of them still have Michelin stars).

Shang Palace at Shangri-la

 

 

Shang Palace at Shangri-la  is the newest hotel restaurant opening in Paris. (opened on the 8th of September). You don't really have great Cantonese restaurants in the city and Shang Palace is by far the best of all the Chinese i've been in Paris. However, if you've had Cantonese specialities in China, you will be disappointed. I found most of the dishes (except for the crispy suckling pig) at Shang Palace good,  but not great.

Il Carpaccio at Royal Monceau

 

 

Il Carpaccio kitchen

Il Carpaccio at Royal Monceau has always been one of my favorite Italian restaurants in Paris. Since the refurbishment of the hotel, the newly opened Il Carpaccio is even better. It serves creative yet convivial Italian cusine where product is a king.Vitello tonnato with tuna tartare,strascinati with pork, fennel sauce and finocchiona (Tuscan salami), or spinach and sausage stuffed squid with green beans and ghiotta  sauce...All the dishes created by Roberto Rispoli are delicious.

Juan-the best kept secret in Paris

Cooked vegetables

If you pass by this tiny Japanese restaurant in the 16th, you might not even notice it. The  exterior and interior of Juan ( 144 rue de la Pompe, 75116 Paris, tel. 0147274351 ) are typically Japanese, very discrete and minimalist. When I sat down at one of the four tables though (there are also few places at the"sushi bar") ,i discovered brilliant Japanese cusine where each morsel was a perfection. The sushis were particularly excellent.Amazing quality of  fish (which is quite rare  even at top Parisian  Japanese restaurants) and rice on a similar level of rice as at fine sushiyas in Tokyo.  I would put Juan ( opened since 2 years ) on the list of my favorite Japanese restaurants in Paris.  There is no à la carte, lunch menu (pictured) costs 34 euros, different dinner menus (sukiyaki, shabu shabu and kaiseki )  - from 65 to 70 euros.

Le Pré Catelan

The signature bone marrow dish

Le Pré Catelan is one of my favorite 3 Michelin starred restaurant in Paris. Located in Bois de Boulogne,it  is just ten minutes drive from the city (16th arrondissement is the closest).  The restaurant is housed in a Napoleon III style pavillion, it's opulent interior was renovated few years ago. Le Pré Catelan's chef is the very talented Frédéric Anton who used to work at Joel Robuchon's restaurants. You can really feel Robuchon's influence in Frédéric Anton's cooking -  he creates dishes that are not only delicious but also beautiful to look at.

The Apple dessert

One of the most beautiful desserts i've seen and tasted. More pictures form Le Pré Catelan will follow...

 

Le Bristol,Paris

 

Lunch at Eric Frechon's restaurant at Le Bristol hotel in Paris - French cooking tradition at it's best.