Fugue

Calling all high-speed chase enthusiasts, there’s a runaway train passing near the Gare de l’Est train station! The troublemakers behind the wheel of this fugue (French for “runaway”)? Victor Baraton-Dorat and chef Hitoshi Minatani, two ex-members of the Semilla gang, currently hiding out within the stone-walled space of what used to be Marrow, along with their accomplice Gabrielle Isnard. Expect to find an electric bistro that brings together cheeky French recipes with delicate Japanese seasonings, which you can nibble at the counter overlooking the kitchen, seated at the bar or around one of the blonde wood tables. Served à la carte the Saturday we went: a slice of pork, foie gras and wild mushroom pâté en croûte, a flawlessly crafted guilty pleasure; fragrant grilled sardine fillets, coated in poppy seeds and laid over artichoke purée with orange segments and red shiso for a pop of color; plump stale bread dumplings, filled with slow-cooked chicken and served with crispy pieces of golden-skinned chicken thigh and a parsnip purée, plus an addictive vin jaune sauce; before the final indulgence, an incredible chocolate dessert that was a cross between lava cake and tart, simply topped with a colossal scoop of caramel and soy sauce ice cream. // Scotty Lard

FEELING THIRSTY? : A seriously well-considered wine list, which includes a gewürztraminer from the Domaine Wassler (€7 a glass), a morgon from Marcel Joubert (€46 a bottle) and a marsannay from Sylvain Pataille (€92)… along with a Negroni made with or without alcohol (€8-11), artisan fruit juices from Cyprien Lireux (apple or pear, €5 for 250 ml) and coffee from L’Arbre à Café (€3.50 for an espresso).
PRICE: : Set menus €25-30 (weekday lunch), five-course menu €70 (dinner and Saturday lunch), à la carte €54-71.