That which pleases is twice repeated! Chef Robert Mendoza has left to spice up the new iteration of Vivant, and now it’s his former sous-chef Christopher Edwards’ turn to run the Saint Séb’. This former neighborhood bistro has been brilliantly remodeled (a speckled tile floor, a Formica bar, sixties light fixtures) by Thomas Deck and Daniela Lavadenz, respectively one half of the founding members of the Montreuil beer company Deck & Donohue and the former pastry chef at Au Passage. Served à la carte the other night, the chef’s compositions hit the bull’s eye from start to finish: artichokes served with a very creamy ajo blanco (a chilled soup made with almonds and breadcrumbs), sprinkled with smoked almonds – or cheeky head cheese with fresh peas, electrified by grated horseradish and pickled cherries; perfect ricotta gnocchi served with eggplant tickled by the flames on the barbecue – or a perfectly prepared line-caught hake with potatoes from Île de Ré and an incredible beurre blanc sauce; before a sweet treat alchemizing spelt wheat, chestnut honey and a graceful jasmine ice cream for the grand finale… Incredible! // Antoine Antoine
FEELING THIRSTY? Nicolas Hulot has nothing to worry about, the 400 carefully sourced wines are still guaranteed to be produced sans herbicide: a taut Savoie Chasselas from the Domaine Lucas (€7 a glass), a Rhone blend from Éric Pfifferling (€60 a bottle), a macerated Savagnin from Philippe Bornard (€70)… Unless you opt for the “house” IPA by Deck & Donohue (€7 for 330 ml).
PRICE: À la carte €47-53.
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