Issa, Romain and James © GP
We often spoke to you about Drouant on the day of the Goncourt Prize ceremony. The house on Place Gaillon which receives the academicians is offering a special menu that day which puts the small dishes in the big ones. But, all year round, this chic brasserie reviewed by the Gardiniers (the Tailevent, the 110, the Caves, the Crayères, the Comptoir du caviar) behaves like a large house full of elegance and seduction under the direction of the large (in size) James Ney, trained in the classroom at the Costes hotel and at the Royal Monceau, who leads a young service on the lookout.
Natural langoustine © GP
At the helm of the kitchen, the excellent Romain Van Thienen, formerly of Cyril Lignac, then of the Peninsula, who was chef of Yannick Alléno's Allénohèque, who moved to the Costes hotel and the Royal Monceau, strives to make good and end, and achieves it without difficulty according to a weekly schedule full of seduction. Examples? The amuse bouche which brings together the various specialties of the house, such as crispy langoustine with spicy mayo-style sauce, oyster with Shrenkii caviar, salmon confit with sesame. Then the quality appetizers, lively, fresh and light like the natural raw langoustines with citrus fruits, langoustine oil and Green Meat radishes or the leek vinaigrette, with green leek oil and nori seaweed.
Leeks and nori seaweed © GP
There are also scallops with Peruvian oca, crosnes, vin jaune sauce and this traditional dish of Albufera vol au vent with pan-fried foie gras, poultry, sweetbreads, oyster mushrooms, trumpet mushrooms, black truffles. The wine list is very effective, with its choice of pretty wines by the glass (such as the fresh Pernand-Vergelesses white from the Françoise Jeanniard estate, the charming Languedoc Les Creisses in Valros in Hérault, the rich Cornas Terres Brûlées from the Lionnet estate ) but also its attention to the Rhône valley appellations which benefit from a map for themselves.
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Flying in the wind © GP
We finish with a delicious Mont Blanc combining candied chestnut, meringue, whipped cream and chestnut sorbet or an apple tart of the day which undoubtedly has less depth. But we will come back for the Suzette crepes prepared at the table and the crunchy millefeuille. And we punctuate everything with one of the various brandies on the very tempting cart of the house. This is an institution that is getting younger!
Mont Blanc © GP
Drouant
Carte : 70-150 €
Schedules : 8h-23h
Weekly closing. : Open every day
Nearby metro(s): Fourth of September, Pyramids
Site: www.drouant.com
