Velvet : A taste of the South
Fresh from its make-over by Michelin-starred Nicoise chef, Alain Paroid, Restaurant Velvet with its heartfelt dishes and excellent selection of wine from France and worldwide, has a real touch of the Mediterranean about it : and all at just a stone’s throw from the Champs-Elysées. A quick glance at the menu will have your taste buds tantalised : salt and sugar marinated salmon with a vegetable vinaigrette, saffron and squid risotto…And at an exceedingly reasonable price, you won’t be disappointed !
Price: €27 set menu (starter - main meal), - 33 € set menu (starter – main meal - dessert)
Le Clarisse : East meets West
With Jean Philippe Pluvinet and talented Japanese chef, Sadaki Kajiwara at the reins Le Clarisse has been given a fresh start. The result of this unlikely partnership ? Dishes that combine the best of France with subtle Japanese touches, such as, Pauillac rack of lamb slow-cooked in green coconut curry or blue lobster flambéed in Noilly Prat. The diner is encouraged to match fine
French delicacies with sake : consider a dish of Bresse chicken washed down with Dassai 23, a delicate sake with aromas of white flowers and lychees. What is more, the restaurant offers an elegant and cosy refuge from the tumultuous Rue Saint-Dominique.
Price: The €35 set menu is available at midday and in the evening from Monday to Friday and is renewed every 10 days.
Ralph's : An American in Paris
Far from haute cuisine Ralph’s restaurant in the heart of the Saint-Germain district offers such American classics as bacon beef burgers, direct from fashion designer, Ralph Lauren’s Colorado ranch. The Parisian décor – a delightful tribute to the 17th century hôtel particulier in which the restaurant resides – lends it a relaxed ambiance in spite of its location along the bustling Rive Gauche. The comfy banquette seating is quickly booked up, whilst in the summer months diners swarm to the restaurant’s patio area. But the portions of such American classics as Maine Lobster, Maryland Crab, hotdogs and organic Black Angus beef raised in the United States, are reasonable, making Ralph’s worth a try if only for the location and atmosphere rather than the haute cuisine.
Price : Starters from €14 and €24, main meals from €23 to €48 and desserts from €8 to €14
It’s summer at the Lancaster !
At the Lancaster the chill of winter seems decidedly far away…In keeping with his summer theme, Michelin starred chef, Michel Troisgros gives pride of place to fresh herbs, asparagus and other such seasonal delights. Inspired by such ingredients, each packed with their own individual flavour, Julien Roucheteau sets about interpreting them into the finest dishes, with real verve. The original, thematically presented menu, emphasises the brilliance of citrus fruits, the heat of condiments and spices, the rawness of vegetables, herbs and fruit and the mildness of dairy : all provided in a stately atmosphere where the smiling and friendly staff will take good care of you. Furthermore, the Lancaster offers the ‘Pause-shopping’ menu on a Saturday for busy shoppers and Sunday lunch at €65 per person (excluding drinks) for the traditionalists among us.
A date for your diary !
It’s all over for Joel Robuchon’s restaurant La Table. Since the winter, chef Jean-Louis Nomicos (previously at the Lasserre and Grande Cascade restaurants) has been in residence at the Avenue Bugeaud address, having commenced his great gastronomical adventure and launched his own restaurant, Les Tablettes. A bright restaurant, inspired by the Mediterranean, Les Tablettes (or ‘Tablet PCs’ - a nod to its unique custom of providing diners with the menu on an iPad) gathers together some of the classic dishes that gave Nomicos his name, such as, Macaroni with black truffle and foie gras, and ingredients like anise-scented fennel, sun-ripened vegetables, sea urchin royale…The restaurant marries memories of his Marseillaise childhood with a touch of Italian creating a wholesome, welcoming and traditional environment.
Average Price : €75 lunch and €110 evening meal
