Ilô, the bistronomic French-Japanese fusion restaurant

Nestled in the little rue Castex between Place de la Bastille and Canal Saint-Martin, Ilo restaurant looks like a small, discreet and welcoming izakaya. Freshly opened, this new bistronomic spot has what it takes to seduce even the most demanding diners. Would you like to discover fine seasonal cuisine without emptying your wallet? Here's a gourmet address that should appeal to the epicurean in you.

The team, and in particular Japanese chef Seiya Jumabe, cut their teeth at the Michelin-starred restaurant Sola. Originally from Kumamoto, Japan, this talented young chef delivers refined, inventive cuisine. Imagine the marriage of Japanese techniques and precision with French produce, and we're in.

A €35 starter + main course + dessert menu is available every lunchtime. There's no need to make your choice, it's a unique menu imagined by the chef. First of all, we check your allergies, and then we're off to explore. The advantage of this type of menu is that you get to try dishes that you'd never have tried before, but which nonetheless offer great taste discoveries.

With this menu, you can opt for a wine and sake pairing. It's an opportunity to accompany your meal with 3 glasses that go perfectly together.

Every week, the lunch menu changes according to the market and the chef's whims. On our visit, we enjoyed a starter of velouté de champignons de Paris with melting diced pear and coffee powder.

For the main course, we had cod cooked on the skin, with pea purée and shallot condiment. Beautifully cooked to a pearly finish, with the flavor of fresh peas and the pep of onion pickles, we were seduced.

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For dessert, we'd never have taken the parmesan ice cream with seasonal fruit, but in the end, it was a delicious discovery.

In the evening, the menu is more classic, with no set menu. We start with a choice of Sakamushi / Yuzukosho knives, sea bream ceviche with strawberries and grapefruit, and peach and burrata gazpacho. Main courses include Cod with mushrooms and Caramelized pork belly with lettuce. And for dessert, the surprising black olive and chocolate-banana ice cream is sure to please.

So, let's go for a new table that's well worth the detour?