Akrame: A Paris dinner in style

Chef: Benallal Akrame 

Restaurant Akrame from chef Benallal Akrame is one of the hottest Paris culinary spots since it opened in 2011. Past winter, nearly two years after a first very nice dinner, we went back for a new adventure.

Akrame is located in a side street of the Place de l’Arc de Triomphe. Luckily for us the restaurant was only few footsteps away from the Renaissance hotel where we stayed. Chef Benallal has a background with Pierre Gagnaire & Ferran Adria. In 2012, one year after opening, he received his first Michelin star. Recently and only two years later he has been awarded by Michelin with a second star! Congratulations chef and team.

The restaurant is not very big and has an interior in a chic and contemporary style. Black leather chairs are combined with grey & warm colours while the artwork reflects a more modern approach. In this small and trendy restaurant they do not serve à la carte. The chef will surprise you after choosing one of the menus that he is changing continuously. The menu ‘coup de coeur’ offers 4 courses for 80€ (130€ with wine pairing) and the menu ‘gourmand’ serves a walk with at least 6 courses for 100€ (160€ with wine pairing).

Since he opened a second restaurant in Hong Kong, Benallal is getting more and more international attention. Also in Belgium Akrame pops up from time to time. Last year he visited one of my favourite restaurants L’Air Du Temps from Sang-Hoon Degeimbre for a 4-hands dinner. Akrame also impressed during a 4-hands event with chef Bart De Pooter in Restaurant WY Brussels.

This time we toasted on a wonderful meal with a glass of Champagne Cuvée Jaquesson 736 brut.

Amuse: Mushroom & cream

Amuse: Black olive toast

Amuse: Smoked Eel

Amuse: Brioche, sardine & mustard cream

Végétal: Pumpkin cream, marinated pumpkin, tangerine and praliné of pecan nuts

Wine: Muscadet Sevre et maine 2011 – Granite- Domaine de l’Ecu

Coquillage: Shells, noirmontier potato  & smoked mayonnaise

Expression: Oyster, egg mimosa, oyster mayonnaise

Wine: Cuvée Laïs – 2011 – Domaine Olivier Pithon – Côtes Catalanes – Calce

Coquille Saint-Jacques and a mousseline sauce: The coquille was heated at 42° in an oil of cardamom. This dish was truly delicious with an impressive taste through this special approach of preparing coquilles.

Carapace: Lobster, lemon butter & leek. The lobster was served raw and only cooked by being topped with a hot bouillon. One of the best lobster dishes ever tasted.

Wine: Sake – Dassau EU 50

Le Marin: Turbot, Pear, Jerusalem artichoke & hazelnut butter

Fraicheur: candied lemon sorbet

Terre: Sweetbreads, onion, smoked avocado, taco crumble

Wine: Saumur Champigny – Chateau de Villeneuve – Vieilles vignes 2000

Quintessence: Millefeuille with cheese Ossau-Iraty, mushroom and an essence of mushrooms.

Ice pastille Margarita glacé

Pineapple in coal with salted butter and sorbet

Wine: Soierie de Rivesaltes – 1996 –vin doux naturel

Crème catalane, sorbet of white cheese, yoghurt and anise cream

While enjoying our dinner we also see Atelier Vivanda on the other side of the road in full action. Vivanda is another small bistronomie restaurant from Chef Akrame and focuses on pure meat dishes in a more bistrot atmosphere.

The innovative style of Akrame with combining nicely textures and flavours was very interesting. Few times Akrame surprised us with creativity and great flavours. The restaurant is quite small with only 24 covers. Service and wine pairing was very nice with an excellent glass of Sake on top. Thanks team Akrame for this new culinary adventure!

Be-Gusto

Akrame

Rue Laureston 19, 75016 Paris

TEl: +33 1 40 67 11 16

www.akrame.com

Saturday & Sunday closed

Be-Gusto score: 16,5/20