At La Cagouille, in Paris, “the John Dory opens the door to a paradise of fresh flavors from the West”

Thistoric erminus of the Atlantic in Paris, the Montparnasse district is full of restaurants linked to seafood. A stone’s throw from the station, on Place Constantin-Brancusi, recently honored with a few trees breaking away from the surrounding concrete, La Cagouille carries this oceanic dynamic high, far from the slowness of the squirrel – “snail”, in Charentais dialect – which it designates.

There, the John Dory appears as an icon, opening the door to a paradise of fresh flavors from the West. Like the rest of the fish, seafood and shellfish that arrive every day in the kitchen of this bistro, this noble piece of the sea comes directly from a fisherman known to André Robert, the boss (who is Breton, of course). ), or from the Rungis market.

Served with or without the head, whole or filleted, depending on the customer’s wishes, La Cagouille John Dory produces long saline notes thanks to its flesh which remains firm when cooked vigorously on the grill. “We prefer to cook it whole, because the presence of the bone gives more taste and finesse to this lean fish. Here, we have two intractable criteria: the level of freshness and the level of cooking. It’s our brand! “, specifies André Robert. A know-how perpetuated by chef Freddy Amy, which allows us to rediscover forgotten, even unknown, flavors of this fish.

Absolute comfort

To go further in the marine nuances translated by the La Cagouille team, you must also taste the small red mullet, the sole, the pulled skate or even the oysters from David Hervé (which you can also take away). All dishes are served with seasonal vegetables. In winter, the old-fashioned vegetable stew, composed of celery roots, parsnips and Jerusalem artichokes, is a must. Otherwise, the gratin dauphinois is absolutely comforting.

Like this 75-seat bistro, where a rare and soothing space reigns between the large marble tables… To accompany the John Dory, Kang Du, the sommelier, suggests a glass of Mâcon-Villages 2020 from Pierre Boisson , a sunny chardonnay with buttery notes (€12), or a bottle of 2015 Chablis from Dauvissat (€72). It’s not easy to choose from the 600 references on a fantastic wine list, with a wide range of prices.