To make choosing where to eat in Paris as painless as possible, we’ve done the “hard” graft for you by testing out 13 of the newest, most talked-about places in the city. From creative cuisine hailing from Israel to the chef that’s shaking things up at the Eiffel Tower, we’ve got you covered.
1. Shabour, A (Michelin) Star In The Making
Every dish here is testimony to the chefs’ inexhaustible inspiration. And teamed with hospitality that’s rarely seen in trendy Paris restaurants of this caliber, Shabour certainly packs one mighty punch.
With several restaurants under their belt in Jerusalem and Tel Aviv, London and Paris, Shabour, meaning ‘hangover’ in Hebrew, is the clan’s third restaurant and first independent endeavor in the French capital. Alongside the enigmatic Assaf Granit is his clan, Dan Yosha and Uri Navon in the kitchen, and Tomer Lanzmann as head host and all-round ambiance-setter en salle.
As far as the décor goes, it’s simple. And that’s the way they wanted it. A former jazz club, the space is entirely candlelit. The stone walls and waxed cement floors provide the backdrop for an open kitchen encased in a marvelous jade-green marble counter for diners to perch at, giving the restaurant a perfectly achieved result.
In a silent ritual of swift movements and the occasional hint of a smile in his icy blue eyes, lead maestro Assaf deposits utensils in front of diners in preparation for each dish, his hands, covered in cryptic black tattoos, sporadically emerging from the shadows.
He lays dinky forks on the counter. An oyster appears adorned with zata herbs (similar to wild oregano), apple and shallot juice, all laid on top of a wooden stand like an artwork, ready to be blowtorched before we swallow it, reeling from the burst of flavor as it slowly imparts its notes in our mouths.
Another stand-out dish includes scorched leek plunged in vegetable stock and filled with labanais (yoghurt-like drink) and porcini mushrooms accompanied by a halloumi crumble and stock that’s meant to recall a journey through the woods. And what a journey it is, each dish pulling us deeper into a world unknown where flavor becomes all that matters.
Next up, Assaf lays out a porcelain egg cup, ready to be filled by Dan with four types of egg: poached, marinated for 48 hours in black tea with ginger, relish of carrots and onions, raisins, tahini, Egyptian spinach, salmon eggs, and poutarde. Explosive. As is Uri’s exceptional amuse bouche of escargot-shaped apple roasted with olive oil and arak, and pickled pink and white beetroot stuffed with brie and plum purée, prepped like a “small tower of Babylon,” as he describes it while he rolls it into shape behind the counter in front of us.
A flurry of dishes, each one more sophisticated than the next and interwoven with accents from a faraway land; the genius behind each mouthful is the scattered positioning of the ingredients on the colorful mismatched porcelain plates. The result is that no mouthful is ever the same.
Here, time stalls as the experience takes you to places you’ve never wandered before. When we left some hours later, we were floating – merry from the wine (which flowed) and not uncomfortably bloated from the food. The next morning however, starting the day proved a little less smooth, but then again, we were warned – the restaurant isn’t called Shabour for nothing.
Shabour – 19 Rue Saint-Sauveur, 75002 Paris
2. L’Avant-Poste, The Fruit Of Real Farm-To-Table Advocates
After the success story of Les Résistants, which puts farmers and suppliers in the spotlight (their names even figure on the menu with every dish), the crew has done it again with L’Avant-Poste, their second outpost close to the cocktail bar stretch of the rue de Paradis.
A casual but smart shabby-chic style dining room scattered with rattan chairs and bare wood tables and great big windows that let in plenty of light, it is the perfect set-up for a quiet lunch or pre-drinks dinner.
With an ardour you can only admire, every member of the team here is a gentle advocate of fresh, seasonal produce from farmers located on the outskirts of the capital – in a nutshell, the shorter the supply chain, the better.
While much of the dishes are vegetable based, meat-eaters won’t be disappointed. The crispy veal cromesquis (croquettes), served with parsley mayonnaise and pink radish shoots, are worth breaking your veg-only diet for.
L’Avant-Poste is the ideal spot to sit down to a meal after you’ve had one too many steak-frites, and where the staff’s happy glowy disposition will be sure to put you in a good mood every time.
L’Avant-Poste, 7 Rue de la Fidélité, 75010 Paris
3. Le Faham, Turning Up The Heat With Far-Flung Flavors
The Batignolles, a neighborhood tucked in a northern quarter of Paris, is fast becoming a Mecca for dining. And Le Faham, with its incredible haute-cuisine celebrating sublime flavors hailing from places close to home and far-flung exotic islands, swerves into the top spot
Do not miss the white beetroot and peach cream. It’s smooth, hearty and wholly addictive, and the fish tartare, sprinkled with scallions, is light and refined.
Here, simple produce like cucumbers, served simply with unctuous Normandy cream, become something extraordinary due to their unadulterated flavor.
Heading things up in the kitchen is the talented Kelly Rangama, while her husband master-patissier Jérôme Devreese rustles up the spectacular desserts.
Opened in the place of a faded French neighborhood restaurant, Kelly and Jérôme have turned things around for this overlooked street with their light and bright outfit of cheery turquoise and white marble that recalls the pristine seas of Reunion island, Kelly’s birthplace.
One thing to know, is that it’s impossible to go wrong regardless of what you order here. The colorful dishes incorporating ingredients and glorious flavors that are lesser known in this part of the world, highlights Le Faham’s stand-out appeal.
Don’t miss Kelly’s signature dish of delicately seasoned Sarcives to start, where tender pork shoulder is served with taro and coriander purée, a recipe from the chef’s father. Continue with the succulent Legine, white fish with carrot, bittersweet ginger accompanied by crisp white rice, and finish with Jérôme’s creamy, rich, deep chocolate vibrato, crunchy meringue and lemongrass tea with Assam berry sorbet.
Just what the neighborood was calling out for, Le Faham is a failsafe restaurant that has set the bar high for its competitors.
Le Faham – 108 Rue Cardinet, 75017 Paris
4. La Scène, Two-Star Chef Stéphanie Le Quellec’s Shiny New Digs
Chef Stéphanie Le Quellec’s new joint La Scène is the talk of the town – and with good reason. Having jumped ship at the Prince de Galles Hotel where her restaurant (of the same name) is said to have been sidelined for an operation that’s less upscale, it was the perfect time to strike out alone and open her own place.
Just around the corner from the Champs Elysées, the restaurant is in a covert spot where diners enter through the bar usually busy with a smattering of business types come to let their hair down.
The spot is chic, it’s classy, and thanks to design duo of the moment Toro and Liautard, it’s original. Step over the threshold into the shiny gold-and-mirror bar doused in twenties glamour for perfectly stirred and shaken cocktails, and then head down below to a wonderfully cozy room. As it’s curved along the top, it feels a little like dining below deck on board a yacht.
The main dining space, with its banquettes lining the walls, blue-green carpets, and white chairs upholstered in geometric print that channel 80s style, could be right out of an episode of Dynasty.
Nab the table right at the back for the best view of the chef and her brigade working in the open kitchen against a backdrop of 70s-style orange tiles, as well as of the other diners – a bunch of jovial locals who know they’re onto a good thing.
Signature dishes include the poached Breton langoustine with tahitensis, buckwheat and blanc-manger, and of course, the Osciètre caviar on melt-in-the-mouth half-toasted, half-soufflé brioche. Follow with the chef’s signature John Dory white fish flavored with water of citrus aurantium and celery or, the more adventurous of diners might want to opt for the ris de veau (veal sweetbreads) roasted and lacquered with harissa and served with browned cauliflower. Finish with a tangy 36-month Conté cheese and the moreish Crème Brûlée with Tahiti vanilla ice cream and roasted vanilla with caramel.
The exquisite cuisine aside, the stellar staff are brilliant at paving the way for a full experience by imparting their knowledge and passion with each course. La Scène is all about high-end dining without a hint of brashness, and without the must-see-and-be-seen attitude. It’s down to earth, just the way it should be when the food’s great enough to do the talking.
Restaurant La Scène – 32 Avenue Matignon, 75008 Paris
5. Maison, Sota Atsumi’s Outlandish Ode To France-Meets-Japan Refinement
Following the unrivalled success of Clown Bar where he headed things up, Sota Atsumi has decided to venture out alone with Maison. Tucked in an 11th-district backstreet, his new spot is shaped like a house complete with a gabled roof. Inside, the zany floor-to-ceiling terracotta tiled walls, serve as a clue to Sota’s quietly rebellious cooking style [ . . . ]
Continue at FORBES: Where to Eat in Paris: The Best 13 New Restaurants to Try Right Now
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