Mad Men restaurant in Paris: bistronomy in all its glory

Mad Men is the new restaurant in Paris's 8th arrondissement. Opened by Sébastien Maréchal, this new restaurant awakens the senses with generous bistronomic cuisine by Italian chef Igor Compagnoni.

Just a stone's throw from the famous Théâtre de la Madeleine , Mad Men opened its doors at the end of October 2019. Part restaurant, part cocktail bar, part wine cellar, part grocery store, this new Parisian venue is the brainchild of Sébastien Maréchal, already creator of Le Jeanne B restaurant in the 18th arrondissement and La Marée Jeanne, in the 2nd arrondissement.

Since its opening, Mad Men has been packed to the rafters. It has to be said that this new address boasts a number of assets, starting with its gourmet bistronomic-style cuisine, concocted by the talented Igor Compagnoni.

This Italian-born chef has worked alongside some of the greatest names in French gastronomy, including Joël Robuchon, Éric Fréchon at Le Bristol and Thomas Boullault. Igor Compagnoni 's move to the Mad Men kitchen is a new challenge. It's a challenge he's risen to with flying colors, thanks to a generous cuisine that honors his love of French products, without forgetting his Italian origins.

On the menu? Gambas Kadaïf with smoked chili mayonnaise, or the famous stracciatella with bottarga and pepper as a starter. On the main course, the Chef offers Aloyau veal flank steak, with baby carrots and an olive jus, or grilled Capelin pork belly, with pointed cabbage and a full-bodied jus. For those with a sweet tooth, the Chef takes us on a journey with his Treviso Tiramisù, or a roasted pecan brownie for cocoa addicts.

Another highlight of Mad Men? The decor, by Nantes-based architects Where is Brian, harmoniously blends elegance and casualness. We love the large bar where the clever beverages are prepared, as well as the tree in the middle of the large room.

It's in this warm setting that we discoverIgor Compagnoni's cuisine. To begin the tasting, we opt for the delicious rabbit terrine sublimated by apricots and almonds as well as onion jam and pickles. A perfectly balanced blend of flavors.

On the other side, the extraordinary homemade tarama, sprinkled with smoked chili and lime. A real "coup de coeur", this is an appetizer we warmly recommend!

Afterwards, our palate is torn between Mirko Andreola's pizzas and more traditional but equally tempting dishes. In the end, we fell for the highly acclaimed (and very generous) grilled octopus, with its delicious mashed potatoes and piquillos. A real treat!

We then savor one of the five pizzas on the menu with the 'Blanche d'Automne'. Behind this sweet seasonal name lies a pizza generously topped with fior di latte mozzarella, 24-month Parma ham, Pecorino DOP cheese, fresh figs, basil, thyme honey and extra virgin olive oil.

And to accompany all this, Mad Men offers a fine wine list with some sixty references from French, Sicilian, Portuguese and Croatian vineyards.

Every evening, from 5 to 7 p.m., Mad Men offers a tapas menu (30-month-aged Iberian Bellota ham or artichokes à la romaine, parmesan and balsamic), as well as cocktails.

In short, this is a fine new bistronomic restaurant in Paris that's well worth discovering!