What’s New on the Paris Dining Scene: Marso&Co, CoCo at the Opera, and more

22 July 2019 by Margaret Kemp    2688  
What’s New on the Paris Dining Scene: Marso&Co, CoCo at the Opera, and more
Margaret Kemp
By Margaret Kemp
“The most powerful social media? It’s not the internet, it’s not Facebook, it’s food! This connects all human beings.” – Chef Alex Atala Emporio Armani Caffè Massimo Mori and his famiglia run the best Italians in town. There’s a warm welcome, great food, people spotting from the terrace – Giorgio Armani, Sandrine Kiberlaine, Carole Bouquet, The Clooneys, off duty chefs such as Raymond Nardin (Le Fouquet’s Joy)– in other words, le tout rive gauche. And, after a hard day’s night, there’s a perfect carby pasta lunch (from €49), served with elegance, either in the Caffè or, upstairs in the Michelin star gastronomic cantina by chef Massimo Tringali. Sip Bellinis ((€15), Spritz Bianco (€15), and/or the mellow apple and wild flower notes of white Gavi de Gavi DOCG Tenuto la Marchesa 2017 (€39). Now you’re set up for an afternoon of museums, galleries, retail therapy, or joining/watching/getting stuck/ in the lively demonstrations – part of daily life in Paris. Buy newspapers from the iconic Ali Akbar when he arrives and shouts his fake scoops, “Macron resigns, it’s official”. In the boutique, you’ll find excellent Armani chocolates, jam, honey, Pannetone. Menu Defilé (€90), A la carte average spend €70. 149 Boulevard Saint-Germain, 6th Metro: Saint –Germain-des-Prés Open 7/7 Tel: +33 (0)1 45 48 62 15 And also Mori Venice Bar 27 rue Vivienne, 2nd Tel: +33 (0)1 44 55 51 55 Créatures – Galeries Lafayette Rooftop Julien Sebbag, in collaboration with Benjamin Patou’s MOMA Group, launches a hip ephemeral 100% vegetarian dining space on the 8th floor of Galeries Lafayette Haussman inspired by Léo Nataf’s daring eponymous 2019 sculpture – on display as you walk in – dripping, mysterious, organic, oozing, blistering, fascinating. Sebbag– the rock n’roll chef inspired by the likes of Johnny Depp, Keith Richard, Jim Morrison and British based Israeli chef Yotam Ottolenghi– says that life and cooking are a question of balance. Until mid October he’s sending out beautiful, summer, “street style” food, plant-based cocktails (from €9) and mocktails (from €12) accompanied by the best views in Paris. The chef’s “Créatures” are plants, vegetables, fruits, herbs and flowers, and, in partnership with Sous les Fraises, the transformed Galeries Lafayette’s rooftop terrace becomes a buzzing urban vegetable garden providing the restaurant with vegetables, fruits and fresh herbs. “I am obsessed with vegetables, I find them humble, magnificent in their variety, reassuring, sweet, surprising,” admits chef Sebbag. So, rock up to the 8th floor; there’s a daylong multitude of tastes, colors, vitamins awaiting. Vegetarian & vegan breakfasts, beautiful colorful salads, feta-roasted peaches, yummy roasted cauliflower, humus, zucchini focaccia – sublime aubergine pancakes – Stain Boy salad, “The Most photographed Créature” in the history of humanity (brioche, avocado, grapefruit), Strawberry Fields Forever, Gariguette strawberries, buffala mozzarella, shallots, pine nuts, basil – Beirut-Tel Aviv – mint, parsley, dill, coriander, boulgar, dried raisins, almonds. Designed, using flea market finds, by Uchronia architects, the idea behind Créatures – create a “happy mess” with recycled materials. Go figure – but do go ! 25, rue de la Chausée d’Antin, 9th Metro: Havre Caumartin/Chausée d’Antin – La Fayette Average spend €30 + liquids No reservations Open 7/7 from 10am-1 in the morning (yes, really) Le Manufacture Kaviari “Fame is like caviar. It’s good to have caviar, but not every damned day”. –Marilyn Monroe. In the 1980s, near the Bastille, caviar maven Jacques Nebot launched KAVIARI specializing in wild Iranian caviar. Immediately recognized as a reference in the world of gastronomy, Kaviari’s high quality sustainable caviars are used by top chefs worldwide. The family business, now directed by Monsieur Nebot’s daughter Karin, showcases a deliciously diverse selection of unusual gifts, caviars, smoked salmon, smoked eels, special sardines … at Le Manufacture, the original address. Kaviari can be privatized and also houses a mini museum, restaurant, boutique, atelier and bar. Once a month, “meet top chefs” (such as Alain Passard, Arnaud Lallement, Yannick Alleno, Helene Darroze, Thibault Sombardier etc.). Reserve for a three hour, 150€ caviar experience. Recently the young talent Michelin * Julien Lefebvre (whose CV includes working with Bernard and Mathieu Pacaud and Fréderic Anton) brought his team from Pauillac, northern Bordeaux – with wines from the vineyards of the Relais & Chateaux, 17th century Château Cordeillan-Bages – to celebrate, and create, an anniversary lunch for the the 30th season of fine wine and dining at the Château (currently owned by the Cazes family). “It’s exciting and prestigious to bring the Château brigade to Paris, creating a meal of my signatures in Kaviari’s kitchen – the best of both worlds, n’est ce pas?” enthused the chef. 13 rue de L’Arsenal, 4th Metro: Sully Morland Tel: +33 (0)1 44 78 90 52 Order online or click and collect Marso&Co Tomy Gousset’s got a brand new address, following the wild and wonderful success of Tomy&Co (which won a Michelin *), then Hugo&Co. named for his first son, here’s Marso (after Marceau, born recently) with a little help from Constance – the adorable Mme Gousset. The open kitchen is Mediterranean inspired – Marso’s palate-blitzing cuisine fizzes with inspiration as it takes in the Côte d’Azur, Spain, Italy, Portugal, and also North Africa, Lebanon, Greece. Tradition and fusion merge. Focaccia with olive oil, tapenade and tzatziki, begin the journey south, saluting Nice’s Cours Saleya with pissaladière, Puglia’s Burratta, via Gomasio for white asparagus, and onwards to the Azores with skewers of…
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Lead photo credit : courtesy of Emporio Armani Caffè

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By Margaret Kemp

Born in Hampton, Middlesex, UK, Margaret Kemp is a lifestyle journalist, based between London, Paris and the world. Intensive cookery courses at The Cordon Bleu, London, a wedding gift from a very astute ex-husband, gave her the base that would take her travelling (leaving the astute one behind) in search of rare food and wine experiences, such as the vineyards of Thailand, 'gator hunting in South Florida, learning to make eye-watering spicy food in Kerala;pasta making in a tiny Tuscany trattoria. She has contributed to The Guardian, The Financial Times Weekend and FT. How To Spend It.com, The Spectator, Condé Nast Traveller, Food & Travel, and Luxos Magazine. She also advises as consultant to luxury hotels and restaurants. Over the years, Kemp has amassed a faithful following on BonjourParis. If she were a dish she'd be Alain Passard's Millefeuille “Caprice d'Enfant”, as a painting: Manet’s Dejeuner sur l’herbe !