Vesper, Lucas Felzine's stunning nikkei restaurant

One of this year's favorites is Vesper, Guillaume Benard 's Fitz Group restaurant, which continues to expand on the Left Bank. After Abstinence and Fitzgerald, it's Vesper's turn to show us what it's made of. And what a pleasant surprise! But before we talk about chef Lucas Felzine 's cuisine, which absolutely won us over, let's tackle another major point at Vesper: the incredible decor.

The work ofSpanish architect Lazaro Rosa Violan, who signed his first address in France, Vesper is divided into two distinct spaces: one bright and gilded, with its imposing long central bar and kitchen opening onto the dining room with its Japanese barbecue, the other more subdued, with its velvet banquettes and wallpaper in plant and floral motifs, inviting you to relax.

The name Vesper comes from a cocktail that means "evening" in Latin. There's no doubt that this new spot aims to be festive and to combine gastronomy and celebration. In addition to an all-female musical line-up and evening DJ sets, the restaurant doubles as a fully-stocked bar staffed by head barmaid Agathe Potel. Creative beverages are the perfect complement to Lucas Felzine's fusion cuisine.

The chef, who has worked in the kitchens of William Ledeuil, Alain Passard and the Shangri-La, returns to the cuisine of his heart with a nikkei menu, a cuisine born of Peruvian gastronomy and influenced by the country's great Japanese migrations. It's a fusion cuisine that's no surprise to find tacos, guacamole and teriyaki lacquer; pork belly and umeshu, or salmon nigiri and jalapenos.

To add to our enjoyment, Vesper boasts a lovely terrace, spacious, green and partly covered, the ideal place to spend some delicious spring-summer moments. Comfortably seated under the Parisian heatwave, we let ourselves be carried away by the inspirations of the menu and the good advice of the team. Starting with one of the chef's signature dishes, fabulous lacquered duck gyoza (€18), dipped in a broth spiced with Peruvian curry and Japanese virgin sauce.

We take the liberty of foraying into the sushi, maki and sashimi menu, the work of Japanese chef Mitsuo Miyauchi, to sample the salmon el fuego nigiri (14€ per pair), some of the best sushi we've tasted in Paris in recent years. The rice is perfectly cooked and tastes of je-ne-sais-quoi, while the relish and jalapenos bring just the right amount of fire to the palate.

The two dishes to follow are grandiose. On the one hand, the barbecued octopus (32€) lacquered with spices and accompanied by whole Peruvian olives and a sauce with a powerful olive flavor; on the other, the wagyu beef flank steak (42€), melting to the point of perfection, to be dipped alternately in a peanut sauce, a parsley wasabi sauce and a jalapenos sauce. Marvelous.

To accompany these two beautiful beasts, don't forget the sides: they're like small dishes in themselves, so generously served. Opt for the pommes grenaille, confit à l'achiote, with their huancaïna sauce (8€), but above all for the excellent tempura seasonal vegetables with their peanut-mustard vinaigrette (10€).

• To be read
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To round off a lunch that's already rich in flavors and discoveries, we refresh our gullets with two ice creams (8€) turbinated in minute, with the most original flavors: cider-sake and pepper. We'll be back for the rest of the menu, which takes us far, far away. That's for sure.