Just a stone's throw from the Marché d'Aligre, a popular destination for Parisian gourmets, is an equally tasty address: the Michelin-starred Virtus restaurant. Taken over in December 2021 by chef Frédéric Lorimier in the kitchen and his wife Camille Gouyer in the dining room, the restaurant is as discreet as it is virtuoso.
Proof of this is the Michelin star lost following the departure of former chefs Chiho Kanzaki and Marcelo Di Giacomo, which the couple regained in just a few months. And yet, the address stands out among Paris's starred restaurants. There are no white tablecloths here, but a delightfully retro decor inspired by the 70s, the work ofarchitect and designer Marcelo Joulia. The atmosphere is also more relaxed than usual, which doesn't stop the service from being attentive.
From his eight-year stint with Arnaud Donckele at Cheval Blanc in Saint-Tropez, chef Frédéric Lorimier has retained a love of the produce in season - especially if it comes from the sea - magnified by gastronomic techniques and know-how, and a mastery of sauces that are, by the way, left on the table to be refilled again and again - and what a pleasure to return to.
At Virtus, the chef's cuisine is elegant and fundamentally generous, gastronomic down to the smallest detail, without ever turning away from the product at the center of the plate. While langoustine has become the Maison's signature dish over the years, we're still thinking of the roast back of Sologne venison with grand veneur sauce, undoubtedlyone of the most stunning dishes of the year.
Open Tuesday to Saturday evenings and now Fridays at lunchtime, Virtus offers a range of menus: 6 courses (€135) or 7 courses (€155) for dinner, 4 courses (€70) or 5 courses (€90) for lunch, with the option of adding an extra dish for around €15 (below, the galantine), or opting for wine and food pairings (€55 for 4 glasses).
An address that unabashedly joins our best-of 2024. The rest, in pictures!
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Seared langoustine draped with roasted buckwheat
Peppered artichoke barigoule and full-bodied shell jelly
Velvety herbaceous tagetes vinaigrette
Galantine of mallard leg confit with foie gras
Trompette de la mort and black melanosporum truffle
Jus de rôti comme une vinaigrette
Red mullet à la flamme and bay leaf-braised celery
Mandarin-infused rock fish soup immersion
Garlic and saffron rouille condiment
Back of Sologne venison contisé with colonata and roasted
Brussels sprouts and rosemary and juniper butter
Juice with quince, grand veneur style
Candied Buddha's hand and kumquat peel
Creamy Madagascar vanilla milk cloud and fresh fromage blanc sorbet
Clementine and grapefruit juice au naturel
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Location
Virtus
29 Rue de Cotte
75012 Paris 12
Official website
www.virtus-paris.com
