To eat at Mâche you have to be a little playful. The tasting menu (five steps, 56 euros, very good value for money) of this restaurant, which opened a few months ago, is blind.
The plates are served without any indication. A deliberate will of the staff to make the meninges work. Once seated, you will be surprised by a series of finely prepared dishes that betray the high gastronomy training of the young chef Michaël Gamet (Astrance, la Table d’Eugène).
Everything is not always identifiable at the first bite, especially since some foods have sometimes undergone transformations. Example with this sliced apple that marinated in an IPA beer. It thus retains its texture but loses its acidity. Served with sea spaghetti and a bit of feta, it’s a very confusing dish.
We continue with a tartare with beautiful pieces of sea bream which surprises with its lemon meringue chips. Always on the sea with a pollack whose accompaniments amaze: on one side a quince paste with vadouvan, the “French curry”, and on the other a fermented celery emulsion.
The chef then plays on color with a monochrome dish around a pork chop. The endive has been reddened with hibiscus and a small raspberry beetroot condiment explodes in the mouth.
The dessert is already the restaurant’s signature dish: torched banana with lacto-fermented honey. Like the dishes that preceded it, there is a lot of work, technique and above all daring. Note, a wine pairing (especially foreign) is offered at €24. And at lunchtime, starter / main course or main course / dessert at €25.
Lamb’s lettuce, 61, rue de Chabrol, Paris 10th