The three musketeers

Paris changes its face all the time, both in the great kitchens (Thierry Marx and Anne-Sophie Pic recently stood out) and in the bistros outside the central arrondissements, the first and second, that is to say. Novelties are always present and make the French capital a lively and across-the-board testing ground, one which doesn’t include only French cuisine but embraces Nordic, ethnic, fusion inspirations and more: passing through classical and modernism, vanguard and attention to local products that are often those of Paris and the surroundings. Here are three addresses worth writing down in your notebook to live some significant experiences and understand the current character of food in town.

The new generation hotel cuisine is certainly well represented by Thierry Marx, whom most people know since his lucky times when the chef was running the Cordeillan-Bages restaurant, a Relais&Chateaux, near Bordeaux. Now, instead, he enjoys surprising his guests at the Sur Mesure, olocated inside Paris’ Mandarin Oriental, tel. +33.(0)1.70987888. Here he’s opened a restaurant underground, resembling a spaceship. It’s totally white (guests at the table really feel like extras in a sci-fi movie), with an almost Zen-like aesthetic design, both with regards to the setting and the recipes, what with the delicate Soy risotto with oysters (and black truffle), the Sainte-Maure Soufflé (made with a delicious cheese from Turaine) with red wine mousse and the Foie gras with smoked eel. All around there’s rigor, precision and the lovely city world, with elegant ladies nibbling at their dishes and businessmen having fun surprising their guests.

Yannick Alleno’s approach is different. Last year, the tri-starred chef of Meurice opened his bistro called Terroir Parisien, +33.(0)1.44315454. It is elegant and refined, with a selection of products coming (as the name of the establishment and the name of the chef’s latest book both state) from the region of Paris, such as the case of the excellent Beton honey. His dishes aren’t missing any simplicity and naturalness, like with his saffron carrots, which are the essence of a farmer and rustic pleasure with a lively touch, or with his excellent and creamy soups. Terroir Parisien is a modern bistro: forget crazy waiters running around the tables and a constant shouting in the background. On the contrary, try sitting at one of the seats by the counter that characterises the centre of the room and chat up your neighbour for the meal.

The last recommendation is that of chef duo formed by Italian Simone Tondo and English Michael Greenwold. Last August, near the fun and multi-ethnic neighbourhoods of Menilmontant and Bellevue, these two have opened the Roseval, +33.(0)9.53562414, a bistro with only thirty seats (at most) after their experiences at Rino and at La Gazzetta. There’s a set menu, you can’t choose from the list (it’s hard to spend over 50 euros), with flavourful and original dishes, such as the Lamb with red cabbage, the Jerusalem artichoke with pluma iberica and hazelnuts, or the Sardines with beetroots and smoked ricotta cheese. Talent and energy are at the service of a cuisine with no wastes and full of fun.