Septime, Paris

Septime (95€, 2/13/2020, 7- Course incl. VAT)

Chef Bertrand Grébaut started his culinary career at the three-star L’Arpège and subsequently won his own Michelin star as the opening Chef at L’Agapé. Chef Grébaut has once said “I wanted to liberate good French food from expensive hotel dining rooms”. He had his theme on making creative, plant and vegetable-focused dishes that change every two weeks. Because it is a surprise tasting menu at dinner, it is important to specify any intolerances or food allergy. English menus were not available, descriptions in parenthesis are the Google translation.

Septime is located near the Bastille area. The restaurant was decorated in a relaxed and unpretentious way, no white tablecloth, wooden tables/wooden chairs and the spiral staircase, forcing the diners to direct serious attention to the plate. It offered a tasting menu of 7 courses. I requested for an additional course toward the end of the meal. Therefore, I had an 8-course meal with extra charges.

I.Amuse Bouche

1. Bouillon de Racines (Root Bouillon) – Soup made from root vegetables including celery, parsley, nasturtium, Jerusalem artichoke. It was well-seasoned and tasty.

2. Flat Bread au Blé Ancien, Comté et Truffe (Flat Bread with Old Wheat, Comté and Truffle) – Light and crusty flat bread covered with 18-month aged Comté cheese and topped with Périgord truffles. Cheese was siphoned with air and yielded with smoother texture. It was just delicious and I wished I could have more.

II. Bouillabaisse, Seiche d’Oléron et Noisette (Bouillabaisse, Cuttlefish from Oléron and Hazelnut)

Sliced raw cuttlefish, from the island of Oléron which is the largest island on the French Atlantic coast, and al dente confit potatoes were the main ingredients. Cuttlefish, cut into ½ inch slices, was fresh and succulent and potatoes was cut in #9 spaghetti size and poached in hot water for a few second. The texture of potatoes was amazing, while it still retained its crispiness, it did not have that raw potatoes taste. Soup base was made of bouillabaisse and saffron, it was thick enough to coat the spaghetti-like potatoes. Chef also complemented the overall taste by including hazelnut oil. The superb creativity and perfectness of this dish was under estimated by its appearance.

III. Cerf de la Meuse, Chou Pontoise, Sabayon Miso (Meuse deer, Chou Pontoise, Sabayon Miso)

Venison was prepared in Gravlax style, cured with sugar and pepper then dried for 24-48 hours. Diced venison was served with miso sabayon, venison bone infused oil, and vinegar. At the very top, there was a piece of marinated Pontoise cabbage leaf covering part of venison and sprinkled with togahachi spice. Venison was tender, tasty and flavorful (probably from the extra step of using venison bone infused oil), without gamy taste. The Pontoise cabbage has been on the lands around Paris since the 16 century, and is recognizable by its curly leaves, less compact than the white cabbage and has a purplish tender center. It is particularly tender, sweet and sugary. It can be eaten raw or cooked, sold all winter long. Pontoise cabbage is also known for its therapeutic benefits, it is rich in vitamin C, vitamin E, potassium and anti-oxidant.

IV. Potage Cressonnière, Pralin de Graine de Courge (Watercress Soup, Squash Praline)

It was sautéed spinach, sorrel and watercress; their flavor was rather unconventional. Upon inquiry, I found out Chef used infused nuts oil to sautée the vegetable. Nuts infused oil did produce a delicate and pleasant flavor. In addition, Chef also served thickened cream from Normandy, water cress velouté and roasted pumpkin seeds paste to complement the taste and flavor. Velouté is one of the five “mother sauces” of French cuisine. Using velouté to balance the richness of cream and still offer the levelness of fresh vegetables was an excellent practice by the Chef.

V. St. Jaques en Coquille, Lard Fumé et Burre Laurier (Scallops in Shell, Smoked Bacon and Bay Butter)

I have not had Coquille St. Jacques for a while. Loved to eat it again. Scallop, from St. Malow, was roasted half-raw and served with lardo (smoked bacon from Southern France), red fermented berries and fermented mushroom. Sauce was made of bay leaf butter and wine (Chenin Blanc wine from Anjou Mosse). My server informed that Chef was very particular about the type of wine used in the sauce. Chef was also very keen on using fermented vegetable to render a more sophisticated taste. Scallop was tender, and succulent. Lardo gave scallop more juice in the chewing process. Another dish of perfect taste and flavor.

VI. Poulette du Patis, Noix Pickles et Truffe Noire (Patis Chicken, Pickles Nuts and Black Truffle)

One piece of hen breast meat and one piece of hen thigh meat were broiled to golden brown on skin. Hen was prepared like doing Patis fried chicken. Patis fried chicken is a crispy and tasty recipe that requires chicken marinated in fish sauce and ground black pepper before coated in flour or cornstarch mixture. Chef did his best to minimize the coating while still kept the skin crispy and meat juicy. Hen was served with sauce made of meat juice and black truffle and pickled walnut, and mushroom purée. This was supposed to be the last savory dish. But I felt that I have not had enough yet. I, therefore, requested for one additional course which I would pay extra for the cost. Chef delightfully agreed to prepare for a seafood dish.

VII. Turbot, Sauce Moule Pimenton, Oseille Rouge (Turbot, Chili Mold Sauce, Red Sorrel)

The turbot is a relatively large species of flatfish found on menus in the whitest of the white-tablecloth restaurants. Like halibut, turbot is a highly prized species often regarded as the best of the flatfish with great flavor and firm, white flesh. Chef used wild-caught Atlantic turbot and a rarely used classic sauce made of Vin Jaune, pimento and mussels’ juice. In addition, red sorrel and smoked paprika was sprinkled on top. A few pieces of white flesh placed on the edge of plate were the meat from turbot fin which has different texture from the fish fillet. I also noticed that the fish fillet was only slightly browned, probably it was not boiled under the high heat.

Vin Jaune is French for “yellow wine” whose production is concentrated in the Jura region in eastern France. Even though it is yellow – more like a sweet dessert wine in its look, Vin Jaune is as dry as a wine can get. It has a complex and distinctive flavor marked by notes of pine resin, curry, citrus, nuts, salt and anis. Vin Jaune is made from grapes harvested in late October when the sugars have developed enough to have a potential alcohol level of 13-15% for the finished wine.

Fish was tender and with subtle taste-of-the-sea flavor (less browning made it less fishy), accompanied by the extraordinarily elaborate sauce. It was the perfect way of ending the savory dishes.

Palette Cleanser – Crème à la Feuille de Citronnier, Citron Caviar (Lemon Leaf Cream, Lemon Caviar)

Penna cotta with citrus jam, pepper, and lemon tree leaves infused dill oil. It was a light, delicious and refreshing.

VIII. Glace au Pain et Miel, Avoine et Lait d’Amande (Bread and Honey Ice Cream, Oats and Almond Milk)

The 1st one was Bread and Honey Ice Cream with finely toasted oats crumble on the side and pollen and almond milk on top. It was not overwhelmingly rich in substance, but rich in flavor.

The 2nd one was petit puff. Its outside texture was a bit crunchier than puff. Inside was filled with yummy custard, dough was made of flour and ground nuts.

Chef Grébaut’s cooking style is produce-centric and “naïve, spontaneous, balanced” as described by himself. Tastes and textures are amazingly and intriguingly playing off to a perfect way with genuine creativity. It is notoriously difficult and frustrating to get a reservation at Septime. We had to get up at 4 am Eastern time to make a trans-Atlantic phone call. We were lucky enough to get a reservation to experience such an extraordinary gastronomic satisfaction. Was it worth the hassle? The answer is a definite “yes”. Septime’s current Tasting menu priced at €95 is a true steal for a one Michelin Star restaurant in Paris.

Pujol, Mexico City

Pujol, Mexico City (MXN 2554, 1/25/2020, 7- Course incl. VAT)

The foodie scene in Mexico and in South America has exploded in the past few years. Look at San Pellegrino top 50 restaurants and you will see the big three in Mexico: Biko, Quintonil and Pujol (currently ranks #3 on the top 50 list). However, there are no Michelin-starred Restaurants in Mexico because there is no Michelin guide published for Mexico. Even though Pujol was not awarded with a Michelin star, its chef/owner Enrique Olvera owns Cosme, a one Michelin-starred restaurant in NYC. Chef Olvera, a native of Mexico, graduated from The Culinary Institute of America in 1997, has brought fame by his reinterpretation of Mexico’s traditional and popular recipes as well as his experimentation with contemporary and old culinary techniques. The name of the restaurant is a slurring of Pozole, Chef’s nickname in high school.

The traffic in Mexico is notorious because of the frequency and extent of protests allowed by the current leftist president. In the afternoon of January 25, there was a protest which almost paralyzed the cross-town traffic. To make the matter worse, our taxi driver has mistakenly taken us to the old location of Pujol. We had to walk from Pujol’s old location to the current location in Polanco neighborhood. Thru continuous texting, I was able to convince them that I was on my way to make the appointment and they were kind enough to hold my reservation despite I made it there with a 45-minute late arrival.

Chef Olvera acknowledged that the experiences in running Cosme in NYC has helped him to plan the relocated new Pujol with a more casual setting (no white tablecloth, tables are moderately close of each other), and a Mexico-themed interior design based on modern wood/stone, plants and water. He has said “We want to be the favorite restaurant of people, not the best restaurant.” The name “Pujol” is a slurring of Pozole, Chef’s nickname in high school.

There were two sets of tasting menus – vegetarian menu and regular menu, both 7- course. I chose the regular menu. It started with Amuse Bouche.

I.Amuse Bouche – Street Snacks. They were a small barrage of dishes playing on the traditional Mexican streets. Each snack was well-executed.

1.Sopecito – Also known as picadita, is a traditional Mexican dish originating in the central and southern part of Mexico. It looks like an unusually thick tortilla, made of corn dough, vegetables, meat, fried beans, cheese, lettuce, onion, red or green sauce (salsa). In this course, the shell was topped with avocado slice, serrano pepper and cilantro topping. Mexican cuisine was never my most favorite. But I had to admit this delicacy was quite pleasant.

2.Grilled Carrot – This was served in a gourd with smoking corn husks inside, contributing to the sensation that the vegetable was hot off the grill. The carrots themselves were coated with a chile mayonnaise and sprinkled with powdered spices. These two carrots were partially wrapped by corn husks, their taste and flavor were amazing. Upon inquiry, I was informed the black powder coating was Chicatana ants. It has a very sophisticated flavor, a combination of slightly smoked aged beef, shell fish and truffle.

Chicatana is a giant flying ant that emerges once a year during the first major rain of the season when they are trying to escape their flooded nests to search for food. The local indigenous communities in Oaxaca, Guerrero and Chiapas regions have been collecting and consuming these insects since pre-Hispanic times. Nowadays, they are considered a delicacy item since their price is relatively high, they are hard to catch, very aggressive, found only once a year. But these insects are also nutritious, very tasty and a great source of sustainable protein. An elaborate dish “salsa de chicatana”, which is a smoky sauce ground in a “molcajete” with garlic, salt and chilies is considered a great companion to Mezcal.

Incidentally, I found a pack of Chicatana at the museum shop of Anthropology Museum in Mexico City. I shall experiment with it one day.

II. Chayote Squash, Scallop Pico

This is the season of chayote squash which was one of the several foods introduced to the old world during the Columbian exchange. Cooked chayote squash has a firmer texture than cucumber or zucchini. In this course, cooked chayote was thinly sliced and topped by even more thinly sliced raw scallop (almost like a sheet of paper). It was a true practice of cutting technique. Chef used the same ingredients but different way of preparation. In addition to the sliced chayote squash, Chef also pickled chayote and cut them into small dice to bring out a more sophisticated flavor.

The inclusion of Manzano pepper was another kicker. Manzano ripen to a brilliant yellow-orange color ball-sized apple upon maturity. They are hot and spicy, with a refreshing citrus flavor.

Mexican like to eat chayote seed. In this course, it was placed on top and adorned with fresh fennels. To make this course more balanced, Chef used habanero oil with lemon juice for the sauce. Habanero pepper packed quite a punch for heat and flavor, moderate use was ideal for an otherwise less stimulating dish. Overall, this course was so delicate and well-balanced, yet flavorful and tasty.

III. Kampachi Ceviche, Cacahuazintle Juice, Celery, Yuzu

Kamapachi is a delicious, premium sashimi-grade yellowtail fish, has a distinctively fresh, sweet flavor and firm texture. Fish was marinated in cacahuazintle sauce (corn + ginger + yuzu) and jalapeno pepper. Cacahuazintle is an old heirloom variety corn of white dent maize originating in Mexico. Yellowtail, cut in 1 x 1-inch cubes, were served with sea asparagus, onion, criollo avocado, diced cucumber, celery, chives and nasturtium leaves. Fish was with very high quality (melt in your mouth) and perfectly flavored with the sauce. The greens vegetables were fresh and delicious. It was one of the best ceviche that I have ever had.

Criollo avocado is one of the smaller types of avocado, the size of a small egg, with an edible black skin and a large pit, has a creamy-nutty-oily flesh.

IV. Octopus, Chintextle, Pickled Carrot

Octopus was cooked until soft, then grilled with excellent taste and texture. It was served with sliced pickled carrot, carrot green and lemon verbena leaves. In addition, a variation of carrot in carrot purée was served. Sauce was made of dry chili, pumpkin seeds, chili costeño (moderately hot and fruity from Oaxaco), cilantro criollo (It tastes like cilantro, only stronger) and balsamic vinegar. My server told me this dish has been her favorite. But I prefer Kampachi because the flavor and taste of Kampachi was just perfect.

V. Striped Bass, Mole Verde, Fava Bean, Kosho

A thick fillet was grilled to perfection, the crispy skin looked quite interesting. Upon inquiry, I was informed by the server, fish skin was brushed with habanero pepper oil while being grilled under the high heat. Pea and fava bean purée was served on the side along with parsley and kosho sauce made with fermented serrano pepper and guajillo (a dry form of mirasol chili, a mild dried chile with a complex fruity flavor). The fermented pepper sauce made the overall taste and flavor distinctive.

VI. Mole Madre 2099 days, Mole Nuevo

The pre-dessert course, “mole madre” was a change of pace, and the course was very unique and special. The dish was presented with a dark outer circle of mole that had been aged for “2099 days,” while the inner portion was a brighter, newly-prepared mole on the then current day. Every other day, Chef would save close to one-third of the aged mole to mix with the nuevo portion and save this combined mole for the following day. This refill process would keep going on every day. The aged mole, as you could expect, had a smooth, rich flavor. The new mole was more salsa-like in texture, having a bit more acidity and punch to it. When you tasted both versions, you would definitely notice the difference. Mole was made of 100+ ingredients ranging from varieties of nuts, chocolate, spices, chilies, fruits, chicken broth or turkey broth. It required a lot of ingredients and took a lot of work. Our server recommended to eat the mole with corn tortillas. It was a bit too spicy and heavy for me. Someone who liked Mexican cuisine probably could enjoy it better. 

Palette Cleanser – Tangerine Sorbet with Yuzu

A scoop of lovely and refreshing tangerine and yuzu flavored sorbet. I would not mind to have another serving.

VII. Matcha Nicoatole, Soursop, Shiso, Basil

It included soursop ice cream with truffle oil at bottom. Soursop is native to tropical regions of the Americas. This prickly green fruit has a creamy texture and a strong flavor that is often compared to pineapple or strawberry. The flavor and taste of ice cream was also enhanced by shiso and basil, and the lemon infused oil at the bottom.

Ice cream was accompanied by the beautiful green corn cake flavored with Japanese matcha tea powder. Very refreshing.

The 2nd plate was the pinwheel-shaped churros with nuts and dusted brown sugar. Churros probably is one of the most popular dessert in Mexico. It was presented more esthetically in this course. In addition, the kneading, frying process and the type of oil used were better executed to produce a less greasy and longer churros.

I am grateful to the kindness of Pujol’s reservation office to hold my appointment beyond ordinary tolerance of lateness. My first Mexican gourmet meal was a delightful and a quasi-Michelin Star experience. Service was professional and in orderly manner. Chef has got an incredible sense of flavor amalgamation that enable him to explore of Mexico’s universe of ingredients, and gastronomic techniques and traditions, and to achieve the well-balanced flavor and taste while still being creative. Nevertheless, other Michelin-star restaurants offering equivalent quality with more affordability are available.