La Dame de Pic
La Dame de Pic - Paris ©Elisabeth Lhomelet
It was the long-awaited opening of this fall. The wonderful Anne-Sophie Pic, France’s only three-star chef, had announced the opening of a Parisian address following the success of her Valence gastronomic adventure. Great news - we no longer had to take the train south to appreciate the scope of her talent (although it was a smart bet, to bring Paris clients to Valence).
Anne-Sophie Pic’s idea for the Parisian restaurant was to make it really ‘her’ restaurant, a very personal creation that would be refined and feminine.
The beautiful interiors of Dame de Pic are by Bruno Borrione, her design partner from Valence. In delicate shades of pale pink and white, there is nonetheless a touch of fantasy with for example the leather cut-out flowers. The overall effect is smooth, gentle, welcoming.
The show starts in the street where passersby can watch the kitchen staff busy in the open kitchen that looks onto the dining room.
The score is written by Anne-Sophie Pic and it is her young chef, Xavier Jarry, 28 years old, who interprets it daily for an enchanted audience.
La Dame de Pic - Paris ©Elisabeth Lhomelet
For Anne-Sophie Pic, a meal is to be ‘observed, inhaled, tasted, relished’. Before choosing a menu, guests are invited to breathe in perfumed tabs, an original creation by Philippe Bousseton, the ‘nose’ at Takasago. Closing our eyes, we let the fragrance notes evoke the adventure of each menu. They incarnate the chef’s inspiration: amber vanilla, sea and flowers, sous bois and spices and the olfactory emotion is a preface to the tasting experience.
As an aperitif, there is butter. But not any old butter, for it is infused by the inspired chef with aniseed and matcha green tea. It is served with bread, of course. But, not any old bread; the best, from star breadmaker Gontran Cherrier.
The Amber Vanilla menu, declared favourite by feminine clients (the gentlemen apparently opt for a spicy adventure in the sous-bois) begins with a beetroot composition. Black, red, orange – all the forgotten flavours of real beetroot are there. We can almost taste the earth that nurtured it. The dish is accompanied by an emulsion of Blue Mountain coffee.
Next comes the cabbage. Cooked, crisp and fragrant, it is perched on a vanilla bergamot froth. The Bigorre pork is baked at very low temperature for 8 long hours. Stuffed with Colonnata lard, it is seasoned with green tea and served with fig slices that beautifully match the mood of the season.
Next, the star chef discreetly lets her head patissier, Etienne Culot, step up and present his creations. A reworked rum baba cohabits with little meringue domes bearing a hint of ginger and little gelatine drops that melt in the mouth. The passionfruit coulis sets our tastebuds all astir.
La Dame de Pic - Paris ©Elisabeth Lhomelet
As at the theatre, we want more. And here it comes, with the coffee: little nibbles that take us straight back to childhood. We won’t spoil the surprise, and let you discover them yourselves….
By Vanessa Besnard for Terroirs de Chefs
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Address : 20 rue du Louvre
Zip code : 75001
City : ¨Paris - France
Area : Louvre, Opéra, Chatelet
Website : La Dame de Pic - Paris
Opening hours : Closed on sunday . From 12 to 2am and from 7pm to 11:30pm
Phone : 01 42 60 40 40
Photos
La Dame de Pic - Paris ©Elisabeth Lhomelet
La Dame de Pic - Paris © François Goizé
La Dame de Pic - Paris © François Goizé
La Dame de Pic - Paris © François Goizé
La Dame de Pic - Paris ©Elisabeth Lhomelet
La Dame de Pic - Paris ©Elisabeth Lhomelet