Above: Street side entrance of Les Parisiens
Sheer instinct guided me towards this decidedly precious gem of a restaurant in Paris, France, a little over a month ago, in part steered by a charming Instagram reel that I happened to stumble upon, revealing the hugely energetic and talented young resident chef, Thibault Sombardier, as he attempts to coax the front of house team into trying one of his new creations, each one at first resistant, even eyeing the dish, ‘Escargots Feuilletes’, somewhat suspiciously, before succumbing to what appeared to be an altogether celestial experience …
… And that is precisely what Les Parisiens turned out to be for me: a moment of divine culinary intervention.
Sombardier’s repertoire is neither conventional nor contemporary; instead, he takes, what I like to call ‘the Middle way’ – in culinary parlance, Haute Bistronomy – displaying an unshakeable allegiance to the essence of Nouvelle Cuisine i.e. dexterously lightened versions of classic dishes, whilst both nourishing and showcasing a coherent form of creativity…in short, he neither overplays his hand nor undermines either degree of cooking or temperature of food in favor of fanciful concoctions and theatrical presentations, which is perhaps why I was so completely and utterly seduced …
Above: Outdoor dining area, Opera of Foie Gras & smoked Duck, Fig & Fennel Chutney
… On my first ever visit, in the company of two French friends, this last and most important point was made apparent right from the start by an ‘Opera of Foie gras & smoked duck with a fig and fennel chutney’, which, other than its obvious attributes of an exemplary quality of liver and masterful interplay of textures by way of the addition of finely sliced smoked duck, was served not too cold, as is often the case, but at that perfect temperature that is somewhere between refrigerated and room and cannot be codified; one just has to have a feel for it …
Above: ‘Paris- Deauville’ Vol au Vent
… But let me rewind a little, and also excuse myself for not having taken photographs of the fabulously chic interior decor of the restaurant, which is part of a hotel, Le Pavillon Faubourg St. Germain, yet fortunately has an independent streetside entrance; it nonetheless shares a most inviting lounge bar with the hotel, called the ‘James Joyce’, for the author once lived on the premises, and even while the atmosphere is inarguably Parisian, it has touches of an Anglo-saxon ‘je ne sais quoi’ …
… My main course that day was one of the signature dishes of the restaurant, named Paris Deauville: an oven-fresh, crisp & buttery puff pastry vol-au-vent filled with a seafood ‘stroganoff’, for want of a better description … the sauce Normande, a fish-stock based velouté, envelopes a medley of shrimp, mussels and monkfish, and suffice to say that each mouthful is a veritable love song to the palate.
Top: Roast ‘Landes’ Chicken
Bottom: Grenadin of Veal
The other two main courses, devoured by my companions with visible, and even rather voluble appreciation, were the roast breast of chicken from the region of Landes in France, which has its own enviable poultry pedigree, and soft-as-butter medallions of veal, each one cooked, flavored and embellished with formidable precision and flair … it seemed impossible that the caliber of the meal could rise any further that evening, but it did, in the rendition of a dazzling, impeccably aerated yet simultaneously sticky, hot dessert souffle using the famed Dubai Kunafa chocolate, (do forgive me for the very poor photograph, taken after several glasses of wine),which is precisely why I had to go back a second time in the space of just a few days, and that too on my own, for a complete immersion, uninterrupted by inane chatter and polite pauses in both the experience and consumption of each dish …
Above: Dubai Kunafa Souffle, Raspberry ice cream
… Moreover, I was able to shed all lady like restraint and devour the delicious sourdough bread and Normandy butter, after which arrived the aforementioned ‘Escargot Feuilletes’: plump and meltingly tender snails soaked in a traditional parsley & garlic butter, crowned with miniature ‘top hats’ of the most perfect puff pastry… believe me when I say that this is the stuff of elusive dreams and deep culinary desires …
Clockwise from Top Left: Sourdough bread & butter, Escargots Feuilletes, Veal Sweetbreads
… Next up, a plate of veal sweetbreads, which whilst being a largely inaccessible, or at the very least acquired taste for many, was immaculate and impossible to rival, right from the caramelized surface to an irresistibly molten center with its slight essential bite … and as if that weren’t enough of a gastronomic joyride, the piece de resistance that left me both stunned and speechless was a signature dessert that came in the form a warm 70% cacao dark chocolate mousse, piped over and around a hazelnut praline and buckwheat ice-cream … well, I simply refuse to try to provide a description, for not even Shashi Tharoor would be able to do it linguistic justice … you simply must experience Les Parisiens for yourself.
Above: Warm 70% Cacao Dark Chocolate mousse