Environmentally conscious chef François Pasteau chooses his ingredients primarily because they go easy on the planet – and luckily, his cooking is as good as his ethics. His restaurant L’Epi Dupin is near Le Bon Marché, a welcoming, elegant and contemporary space of stone walls and white beams brightened by a wall-mounted wine library. It’s a high-end setup, but a three course evening set menu will set you back a reasonable €39.
We were welcomed with a scoop of creamed carrot with ginger and parsley foam, then started on a celery risotto with snails fricasseed with watercress, a creamy dish with a cheese crisp to provide contrast. Then a fantastic plate of fresh, flavourful seasonal vegetables cooked in a wok and topped with a lightly lemony mackerel fillet in a hazelnut crust. To finish, roasted pears with mascarpone sorbet and a crunchy tuile – a superb meal that showcased both the best in responsibly sourced ingredients and bold bistro cooking.
TRANSLATION: EH
