L’Astrance – Paris

L’Astrance: French Fusion cooking

4 rue Beethoven, 75016 Paris
0033 1 40 50 84 40

Closed Saturday, Sunday, and Monday

Chef: Pascal Barbot

Paris Restaurant L’Astrance is probably one of the city’s most sought-after tables. The single dining room of this three star temple only hosts 26 covers. We first met chef Pascal Barbot during a 4-hands dinner in restaurant L’Air du Temps with Sang-Hoon Degeimbre. During this event he really impressed with amazing dishes. I still remember the delicious cod with miso-hazelnut butter, young leafs, cress and rapeseed flower. The ‘must visit’ decision was taken!L'Astrance - Paris

The career of chef Pascal Barbot is very interesting, gaining experience as being the chef of the French Navy in the South Pacific, Ampersand restaurant in Sydney and most important off course five years with Alain Passard at L’Arpège Paris. In October 2000, Pascal Barbot and Christophe Rohat, formerly sous chef and maître d’hôtel at l’Arpège respectively, opened their own restaurant in the 16th arrondisement in Paris.

The small two-level dining room is bright and comfortable but does not look like the other static three star houses in Paris. The interior with darkly silvered walls contains splashes of yellow and gold and ensures a relax dining atmosphere.L'Astrance - Paris

There is no real menu at restaurant L’Astrance. You simply tell the waiter what you do not like and the Chef will make you a surprise menu, which might differ at every table. Today’s inspiration of the chef mentioned the menu ‘Dîner Astrance’ for 230€ or 350€ with pairing wines. Add on’s were possible with the presented black truffle from Australia for 60€ or 130€. The travel experiences have clearly influenced his cooking approach at L’Astrance. The chef combines French haute cuisine with some exotic ingredients from the Far East. His signature dish of layered foie gras with raw button mushrooms and hazelnut oil and lemon confit is well known. The wine list that sommelier Alexandre Jean presents ranges from France’s top wines too more unusual natural wines.

We started our dinner with an excellent champagne Jacquesson cuvée 738 from 2010 with great body, minerality and complexity. L’Astrance serves only two little snacks with the appetizer in which we recognized the palette with green apple and a praliné of almonds. Next to it, a sablé bisquit with Parmesan and lemon was served.L'Astrance - Paris

First dish was Pascal Barbot’s signature dish. A galette or millefeuille of Foie gras, apple and mushrooms comes with hazelnut oil and lemon sauce. No doubt why this is his all time classical.L'Astrance - Paris

Coley filet with anise, fennel and a fennel broth. On the side we were served with cannelloni of green herbs with mint, ginger, basil and coriander. This dish was paired with a sake.L'Astrance - Paris

L'Astrance - ParisMackerel was lacquered with miso, crusted with buckwheat and served with smoked scamorza cheese and leeks. Nice but not in the same league as the cod dish we tasted before from Barbot. Next to it a bowl with a cream of smoked eel topped with spinach cream.L'Astrance - Paris

L'Astrance - ParisUsing top quality ingredients is the key at L’Astrance. A delicious ‘Poularde jaune des Landes’ was carefully combined with a confit of apricot, girolles and fresh almonds.L'Astrance - Paris

With the main dish Barbot shows his precision to create an elegant and full flavoured dish without complexity. Milk-fed lamb from Lozère came with peas and black curry. The intense black curry was made from Mexican chili peppers, garlic, ginger, black miso and prunes. The meat itself was tender and had a remarkable flavour. A bit strange was the potato cream purée which was served with vanilla ice cream and thyme flowers.L'Astrance - Paris L'Astrance - Paris

On top of the foie gras and mushroom galette, Barbot is known for his ginger, chilli pepper, and lemongrass sorbet.L'Astrance - Paris

Poached pear with a mousse of matcha thee.L'Astrance - Paris

Apricot, peach ice cream, meringueL'Astrance - Paris

Jasmine-infused eggnog inside hollowed-out eggs. A small candle was placed in one of the shells to wish us a happy wedding anniversary.L'Astrance - Paris

Chestnut and honey madelines & fresh fruitsL'Astrance - Paris

L'Astrance - ParisPascal Barbot opened L’Astrance in 2000 with his partner Christophe Rohat. They received a first Michelin star after three months, the second after four years and the third in 2007. A true success by a chef with a great personality. He adapts his cooking to the best ingredients available that day. L’Astrance showcases a personal dining experience which takes you on a little gastronomy trip.

Be-Gusto

 

Be-Gusto score:                           18/20

Be-Gusto price/quality score: 17,5/20

L’Astrance

4 rue Beethoven, 75016 Paris

Tel: +33 1 40 50 84 40

Closed Saturday, Sunday, and Monday

Comments
2 Responses to “L’Astrance – Paris”
  1. Kai says:

    Great review! Must go there some day…!
    But your link to their website is wrong: it leads a place in Antwerpen… (but the Astrance website seems to be down anyway)

  2. begusto says:

    Thanks for the feedback. Update made and indeed it looks like their website is down.
    Best Regards