Restaurant Marcore - permanently closed

Following the success of his first restaurant, Bouillon, Marc Favier, former second-in-command to Jean François Piège at Les Ambassadeurs in the Crillon Hotel, then executive chef at Thoumieux, launched Marcore last year, an address with not one but two rooms and two atmospheres": on the first floor, a bistronomic menu, and upstairs, a more chic table offering top-flight gastronomy.

It's in the (pedestrian) rue des Panoramas, after their bistronomic table baptized "Bouillon", that Marc Favier (in the kitchen) and his partner Aurélie Alary (in the dining room) have chosen to open this"Maison de cuisine" called Marcore.

As the restaurant has two floors, the idea of creating two distinct areas, each with its own menu, quickly became obvious. The result will be a bistronomic table on the first floor, and a gourmet restaurant upstairs.

"With its two levels, the location was an obvious choice for us, offering two distinct spaces and therefore two kitchens," explains Marc Favier.

A chic, soothing decor

Designed by Champeau & Wilde, the Marcore setting (a compression of the first names of the two owners) is both warm and modern, chic and soothing, with soft lighting, comfortable velvet armchairs, round marble tables and Limoges porcelain tableware .

Seasonal cuisine

Having worked in the kitchens of such renowned chefs as Pierre Augé (father), Jean-François Piège, Frédéric Anton and Marc Favier, the young chef offers his signature dishes, as well as creations inspired by seasonal produce.

On the day of our next visit, we were treated to an amuse-bouche of brandade de morue/crème/câpres/estragon croquettes and apissaladière koka/olives noires/anchois.

For the main course, we were tempted by the delicious Ribs de Cochon. Tender to perfection, with crispy rind and a well-reduced homemade barbecue sauce, it's just divine. It's up to you to choose the garnish; I opted for a mix of sautéed fresh spinach and French fries (reasonable but not too much).

For his part, my sidekick chose the Gambas with galanga, lemongrass and coriander, topped with a lovely gourmet sauce. And all accompanied by an assortment of seasonal vegetables, which he loves. Cooked just right with a full-bodied jus, the mixture awakens the taste buds.