Septime: Friendly, Inventive and Refined Cuisine in Paris

August 15, 2011  by Lindsey Tramuta

Hake with carrots and zucchini

In April, the Paris food scene saw the grand return of creative culinary prowess with the opening of Septime, a modern bistro in a remote corner of the 11^th arrondissement that breaks free from the confines of traditional French cooking. Buzz about the high-caliber restaurant was instantaneous and spoke largely of the mastermind behind the apron.

After a tenure at L’Arpège under the auspices of Alain Passard, Bertrand Grébaut went on to snag a Michelin star at Agapé at only 27 years old. Earning himself even further attention was the 10,000€ Evian-Badoit grant he was awarded to bring his own venture, Septime, to fruition.  Innovative, successful and under 30 – my friends and I were intrigued.

Chef Bertrand Grébaut

The moment we entered the restaurant, we were greeted with warm, sincere smiles and glowing enthusiasm from devilishly handsome young servers. We were seated in the entry dining room, across from the bar where the evening’s first guests chatted gleefully over a glass of wine. It features one long communal table and is slightly quieter than the larger room just beyond the glass partition that offers a view of Grébaut and his team hard at work in the open kitchen.

Before even glancing at the menu, we were transfixed by the post-industrial décor, hanging lamps (which we later learned were from Holland) and the rustic, unrefined wood tables throughout the restaurant that provided the warmth and sophistication missing from the neighborhood. Passersby must have felt similarly because most stopped in front of the restaurant, with its wide-open windows and enviable energy, to analyze the menu and get a feel for the ambiance. This stop-and-gawk continued all evening, much to our amusement.

Tables set at Septime

After fawning over the environment, it was time to dive into the deceivingly short menu and choose between three appetizers, three main dishes, and three desserts. We opted for a bit of each with the 55€ carte blanche tasting menu — by far the wisest value given the quality and artistry involved in each plate.  The chef has carte blanche and selects the combination of dishes each guest will receive, but he will accommodate food preferences and/or allergies. Following our order, a sommelier advised our wine choice, explaining its origin and why it would produce the perfect sense of balance and harmony with the dishes we would be served. Continue Reading »

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Cul de Poule — dining at the rue des Martyrs’ Hen’s Arse.

July 9, 2009  by Erica Berman

Photo by JasonW

Text by Geneviève Sandifer

If there’s one thing I think New York has perfected over Paris, it’s the art of the casual, delicious and reasonably inventive bistro meal. Most Americans first landing in France would disagree heartily, but after a life spent in Paris eating mediocre croque-monsieurs and room temperature frites with my stringy bavettes aux echalottes, I continue to marvel at New York restaurateurs’ ability to churn out adventurous and generally decent options for the downtown sidewalk-er.

When I first heard of Cul de Poule, I thought that I had found the modern French equivalent of New York’s neo-café/brasserie. Most tell-tale signs include: trendy staff playing indie rock on the stereo (check) bad acoustics (check), cramped, mismatched furniture (check), and a short but seriously intriguing hand-written menu (check) that remixed French standards (duck confit, roasted lamb) with fresh, playful flavors and combinations – worth a shot, but probably more hype than substance. Continue Reading »

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