Alexander Lobrano reflects on the alchemy that transforms excellent cooking into a meal out to remember…
As beautiful as it may be, the aloof and rather secretive Île Saint-Louis in the middle of the Seine in Paris hasn’t been an urgent restaurant destination in a very long time. But now that looks set to change.
In the 1980s, L’Orangerie, owned by actor Jean-Claude Brialy, was a favourite haunt of society ladies who lunched and, at dinner, a glittery cast of movie stars, fashion designers and night people. More recently, the over-hyped Le Sergent Recruteur has drawn a few curious eaters, and now the latest candidate is Cypsèle, which occupies the former premises of Nos Ancêtres Les Gaulois, a legendary tourist trap and a bawdy and joyously mediocre mock-medieval restaurant serving meals themed around the diet of the Gauls crudités, tough meat, potatoes and pitchers of wine – that was mirthfully known to have caused hundreds of people to call in sick to work the following morning so they could hide in bed and nurse their hangovers.
London design firm Nice Projects gave the former pharmacy a louche, cool-operator look with custom neon ceiling lighting, pale wood furniture and handmade mosaics. Shortly after being seated, we met Quentin Loisel, who suavely manages to be a superb sommelier – he previously worked at Le Jules Verne and maître d’hotel at the same time. His pairings with our tasting menu were a highlight of our meal. Chef Marcin Król, who’s done stints at Noma in Copenhagen, Boragó in Chile and Oaxen Krog in Stockholm, is a rising talent with an affinity for a Scandi-style gastronomic minimalism that celebrates the natural flavours and textures of the first-rate seasonal produce, often organic, that he assiduously sources himself.
I really appreciated Król’s earthiness, a relief from the mannerism of so many young French chefs who have been over-influenced by the mannerism of food television.
His cooking has its feet firmly on the ground, but is also movingly winsome: pétoncles (tiny scallops) in an exquisite sauce Nantua; turbot tail poached in bouillon and served with a sauce blanquette (Król is an exceptionally gifted saucier); juicy quail served with a palette of bitter herbs and vegetables; and a very original meringue-capped kiwi and rocket tart as the grand finale. This is an excellent address at which to discover 21st-century French cuisine in Paris.
Cypsèle, 11 rue des Deux-Ponts, 4th arrondissement, Paris. Tel: 0649704954.
www.Cypsèle.fr, prix-fixe €85 lunch, €145 dinner.
From France Today Magazine
Lead photo credit : Pithivier of quail
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