In the busy Saint-Ambroise district in the 11th arrondissement of Paris, Marine Bert and Yann Placet have just opened a small, discreet restaurant but which is already making a big splash.
It has the charm of the first openings. Erso, for “the wave” in Basque, is the first joint project of Marine Bert and Yann Placet. The duo, with solid Michelin-starred credentials, offers sophisticated but no-fuss cuisine that is above all keen to remain accessible. In any case, this is what jumps out at you when reading the wine list. It contains a large number of references below 35 euros which is becoming a rare commodity in the Parisian region.
Is there a link between the wave and the chef's sensitivity to marine products? That day lean meat is on the menu as a starter. The plates arrive without delay. No appetizers, the register is bistro but gastro. Two generous pieces of fish (15 euros) are spread on a sardine tarama with ponzu sauce and small nasturtium leaves. They were cooked on a binchotan, this mini Japanese charcoal barbecue. The mushroom millefeuille (15 euros) also has an effect with miso mousseline, sautéed chanterelles and its bergamot condiment.
We continue with a lovely dish: a royal sea bream (28 euros) served on a plate that could be a painter's palette: a smoked fish stock, a herbaceous sabayon and a wonderful raw cauliflower semolina with grains of mustard that crunches in the teeth. There are also some plump mini tuberous chervils with a slightly sweet flavor. It's delicious. The plate involves a lot of work in the kitchen.
At lunchtime, a very competitive starter or main course dessert is offered at 23 euros. We're finally announcing an upcoming five-course tasting menu that we can't wait to discover.
Erso, 18 rue Saint Ambroise Paris 11th
