Prévelle

A restaurant of one’s own, or the bucolic and gastronomic interpretation by Romain Meder (a former Ducasse-trained chef at the Plaza Athénée) of Virginia Woolf’s famous essay. The brilliant talent from Franche-Comté could easily have named his new venture precisely that, given how much of himself he’s poured into it. But instead, he called it Prévelle, after his childhood hamlet. It now stands where the restaurant Garance once did, its red glow long faded. And if there’s one thing that’s certain, it’s that this new spot is anything but nostalgic: a confident sense of decor (a large, pale wood china cabinet, sofas with curved lines, a cozy rug to tie it all together) and it’s very much alive, energized by a kitchen brigade sending out dizzyingly elegant dishes. The night we went, dinner turned into a thrilling pastoral escapade: dandelion green truccia (omelette), a whirlwind of zander and beetroot brioche served with an unforgettable civet (stew) as the amuse-bouches; beautiful white asparagus tinged green with nettle, Talisman liquid caviar and whey infused with asparagus trimmings; incredible garganelli pasta with wild garlic, steamed morel mushrooms, an oyster from the Étang de Thau and a peppery macaron; steamed poularde from Culoiseau, a trio of turnip preparations (rémoulade, baked in papillote and fermented with ginger) and Mexican mole; flash-seared lobster, raw lobster coral emulsion and a divine cake made from lobster head, all paired with glistening peas and mint… The meal was rounded out by an epilogue of best-sellers: crunchy chocolate, coffee whipped cream and lentil ice cream, followed by rhubarb, lovage sorbet and blackcurrant bud kefir granita. // Angela Dolu

FEELING THIRSTY? Vincent Cochard (ex-Arpège) transcribes his list of libations with a very natural pen: a sylvaner from the Domaine Ostertag (€12 a glass), Moulin à Vent, a gamay by Ophélie Dutraive (€18), Fief De Chaintre, a Burgundy melon by Jean-Baptiste Hardy (€70 a bottle), and Les Terrasses, a viognier from the Domaine Vernay (€180).
PRICE: : Tasting menus €65-85 (lunch, two or three courses) and €145-165 (five or seven courses).