A new city, a new adventure: dinner at Verjus
Up late after yesterday's exhausting travelling. This morning to the lanes around Les Halles to discover what my local area had to offer: a bio-supermarket will certainly come in handy, as well as numerous places to eat and an excellent coffee roastery. My father arrived this afternoon on the Eurostar with his girlfriend, to visit Paris for a couple of days.
He suggested that we go out for a meal, so I booked a table at Verjus, a (now slightly expanded) 'cave a vin' behind the Palais Royale and within spitting distance of Le Grand Vefour. Chef Braden Perkins runs the kitchen and was offering a set menu, beginning with canapés and then followed by four courses for €78 per head. I chose a bottle of Chenin Blanc from the Loire, fruity but savoury to accompany the food.
Of the selection of five canapés, two stood-out: the pickled salsify with squid ink and aioli and the sunchoke custard with sunflower seeds and truffle were both delicious—though everything we ate that evening was. The clever and interesting food continued as the rest of the courses were served. The foie gras sauce, which had been artfully poured around some celeriac, left me asking the charming waiter for a spoon so I could recover it from the bottom of the dish, a childish grin plastered all over my face. Perhaps the only disappointment of the meal was dessert, which, though light and flavourful, could not compete with the excitement of the previous course; whilst the cake, to be eaten with coffee a the end of the meal, proved a little too much.
The meal itself was served in the charming upstairs room above the cave below, with windows looking out over the ironwork of the Théâtre du Palais-Royal opposite. It has a charming, modern vibe, without feeling pretentious; an open doorway to the kitchen also provides tantalising glimpses of the magic happening. The service was attentive and the sommelier helpful, and though I spoke French, they were more than happy to accommodate English speakers.
The important questions:
What kind of food: modern cuisine, set menu, not suitable for vegetarians—clever, exciting cooking, expect things that you haven't tried before.
Who to go with: a date, old friends, loved ones.
When to go: they only open for dinner.
Where is it: behind the Palais Royal in the centre of Paris.
How long do I need: this is relaxed dining, allow a couple of hours.
Verdict:
Food 4/5
Service 5/5
Atmosphere 5/5
Value for money 5/5
Overall: *****
Dinner: set menu at Verjus, 1st arrondissement, Paris (€78 per person + wine).
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