The latest addition to the Les Becs Parisiens group, this home of young enthusiasts combines friendliness, generosity, and a well-thought-out approach.
Mathieu Guérin and Julian Avila, lifelong friends, have taken the helm of this wine and sake cellar, and share their discoveries with great sincerity.
As soon as we arrive, we are quickly immersed in a friendly and relaxed atmosphere. Guided by the waiter, we go down to the basement in a rough and subdued setting, which plays with the traditional conventions of the wine cellar. We sit down directly at the counter, ideal for a conversation with Mathieu Guérin, the outspoken sommelier who has worked at Thierry Marx’s Sur Mesure and Mory Sacko’s MoSuke – no less!
Passionate about sake, he offers us a first tasting of Kenbishi “Mizuho Kuromatsu,” taking the time to explain its traditional production (Yamahaï method), which consists of letting lactic bacteria develop naturally. Perfect flavors to accompany our starters to share: crosnes with marrow butter and fleur de sel, original and regressive, then the soft-boiled egg with chorizo, onion cream, and croutons, unctuous and well executed.
Then comes the first course, a perfectly cooked fish-and-chips-style cod served with a caper and parsley mayonnaise, a little too fatty, then the “signature” dish: linguine with smoked butter, flavored with sage and mustard seeds, an original mix that titillates our taste buds. All accompanied by a glass of Clos Saint-Fiacre 2018 without surprise, but which pleasantly balances the various “spicy” notes of the dish.
A rather simple food menu, but twisted with a lot of originality by Julian Avila, who also passed through the kitchens of Le Sur Mesure and Chocho, alongside chef Thomas Chisholm. The chef is keen to collaborate with committed producers, with whom he has forged sincere ties, seeking to delight the taste buds by highlighting the original taste of the products he works with.
Like others of this new generation, Mathieu Guérin and Julian Avila have chosen to take pleasure in their work and, above all, to share it!
A “discovery” address to try out for two or more.
Cave à manger
6, rue Mabillon, Paris 6e
France
Mélissa Burckel