A Look Inside STAY, Yannick Alléno’s Resto at Sofitel Paris Le Faubourg

Following the success of Yannick Alléno’s STAY dining concept in Dubai, Taipei and Beijing, comes the Paris launch. “STAY is an urban restaurant with French cuisine, reinterpreted in contemporary style, inspired by my world travels,” explains Alléno, who is also Executive Chef at the 3-Michelin star restaurant at the Pavillon Ledoyen in Paris. (STAY stands for Simple Table Yannick Alléno.) STAY’s 64-seat flower-filled terrace is a black-and-white trip to the country in the middle of town. You’ll feel a fool without an outsize black and white Chanel carrier bag with white camellias pinned to the front; they match the zeitgeist of the restaurant, which has become a must for weary shoppers to rest their Louboutins. To show you’re in the know, order the “hot” aperitif of the season, a white bulbous cup of chilled Moët & Chandon Ice Imperial champagne (25€) served with gougères puffs (golden choux pastry with gruyere cheese and a touch of nutmeg). The ladies who lunch peruse the menu for De-Light Lo-Cal dishes, while the husbands, toy-boys, sons and daughters prefer hamburgers and chips (31€) or Club Sandwiches (25€). Be sure to test the ideas of Alléno and his Executive Chef William Girard who say, “it’s a locavore cuisine, where possible products come from within a 200 km radius of Paris.” Begin with Sea-Bream ceviché Gaston Acurio (this is a reference to Peru’s top chef, and Alléno equivalent). There’s Tuna tartare (145 calories); Burrata, olives, tomatoes; Fritto misto, sauce tartare; Fricasée of chanterelle mushrooms and yellow wine (150calories). Follow with any number of delicious mains. Fish soup from Abruzzo; Fillets of sole in kombu seaweed broth broth (212 calories); marinated beef Tataki; grilled John Dory fish; Blue Lobster; Lamb Chops French style, with chips, salad or vegetables of the day. The best is yet to come from the Bibliothèque Pâtissière (Pastry Library). Order from the menu, or rock up to the pastry counter and create your own dessert with the chef. In honor of the Patron Saint of the the rue, test the Saint-Honoré. Or opt for Menton lemon tart with meringue; Strawberry tart, vanilla ice-cream; Strawberries, chantilly and cream puffs; Chocolate tart made with smoked sura chocolate from Java, corn ice-cream and sea-salt caramel sauce. Nibble mendiants, marshmallows and chocolates from the chilled counter. And, until today, you thought libraries were only for livres! Post- or pre-lunch it’s off to the bar, or the pavement terrace, where tea is served, with pastries or savory snacks, and depending on the time of day, sip cocktails named for top designers (Gabrielle, Karl, Jean-Paul, etc). Get A Room Newly renovated, Sofitel Le Faubourg is situated just off Faubourg Saint-Honoré, in a traffic-free location. The hotel is a vibrant tribute to the world of fashion; the 118 rooms and 29 suites have incredible haute couture silk and taffeta décor by Didier Gomez. Amenities include a state-of-the-art Bose Wave Music system, iPod dock and 42” flat screen, while the Opera Suites have hammam showers and Bose home videos. There’s also a fitness center. Rooms start from 390 euros depending on the season, plus breakfast is 34 euros additionally. STAY, Sofitel Paris Le Faubourg, 15 rue Boissy-d’Anglas, 75008. Tel: + 33 (0)1 44 94 14 24. Metro: Concorde. Average Spend 55€ + wine. Dinner Menu Prestige 85€ with wine. Valet Parking. Open 7/7. Closed from August 1- 17.