It has been more than a year since Taku Sekine, leader of Dersou and Cheval d’Or, committed suicide amid accusations of sexual assault. Despite the shock, despite the controversy, Cheval d’Or, in Paris, is always a full house. Behind the light wood counter, in the open kitchen, it is always the same team that officiates. The executive chef at the time has now become a full-fledged chef.
Yohei Haratake, 44, a former graphic designer, was present from the opening of Dersou, before becoming second and then being placed in charge of the kitchens of Cheval d’Or, in April 2019. His mission was to tell the Asia through dishes of multiple origins (China, Korea, Japan…).
Lively and peaceful atmosphere
After the disappearance of Taku Sekine, there was a wavering. Natural. The gestures were the same, but the heart was gone. Until the day when Yohei Haratake, pushed by Florent Ciccoli, owner of the restaurant, decides to assert himself. He must no longer fulfill the will of another, but his own. He chooses to focus on what he knows best, Japanese cuisine. The menu changes, the ramen smokes differently.
What are those golden yellow shavings under the fish? Frozen hazelnut butter petals. They elegantly soften this entry into a totally Japanese world.
This January evening, the atmosphere is lively and peaceful. The rustle of conversations glides over the crackling binchotan. On this Japanese charcoal, monkfish, tofu or skewers will be grilled at the appropriate time. For now, a glass of wine is chosen and one of the first plates to be shared already excites the senses.
The cauliflower cream coats pieces of aburi mackerel (very lightly grilled). Thin slices of apple crunch delicately under the tooth, while the iodized meat melts into the silk of the cauliflower. A note of caramel raises questions. What are those golden yellow shavings under the fish? Frozen hazelnut butter petals. They elegantly soften this entry into a totally Japanese world.
An illustration of this is the discharge of well-being caused by the tsukune. These hand-shaped chicken meatball skewers look like stuffing stuffed with happiness. We come back to it as if we were plunging our hand into a huge jar of sweets.
The hand is already raised to order a second portion, but now a typical Taiwanese dish is coming to the fore, lu roufan, white rice topped with pork marinated in five spices and a tamago (soft-boiled egg marinated in soy and mirin) to chubby grace. The signature of the current chef is still there: comfort.
The chorus is the same when listening to sesame and shiitake ramen. Disruptive, the cheesecake with orange marmalade reveals a combination of bitter and sour, with London overtones. Like a return to the West, it confirms the virtuosity of Yohei Haratake who ultimately seems to be on all continents.
The address Golden Horse, 21, rue de la Villette, Paris 19and. Phone. : 09-54 -12-21-77. Open in the evening from Wednesday to Sunday. First service at 7 p.m., second service at 9 p.m.
The essential The tsukune.
The detail that is not one The benevolent incitement from the waiters to take another drink.
The bill Around 45 € per person.
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