In the heart of the discreet Maison Mère hotel, set in a hidden street a stone's throw from Square Montholon, restaurant Nectar has opened the doors of its beehive, a veritable labyrinth of intimate nooks and crannies. Velvet chairs, marble tables, neon lights diffusing a murky red glow: the meticulous decor is the work of Alexandre Danan, right down to the imposing, curving bar around which the little bees are buzzing.
Mixology is the first pillar of this address. Behind the bar, head bartender Marvin Landro, trained at the1K hotel's Mezcaleria, imagines a menu of made-to-measure cocktails with a phantasmagorical discourse. Called Chimère, this menu of clever beverages is as much for the mouth as for the eyes and nose. Marvin Landro invites the curious to open a small wooden box containing, in small flasks, the elements making up the 6 cocktails that should be smelled before choosing your philtre.
With their travel-invoking names and imaginary animals, the cocktails are harmonious and colorful, whether it's theAselia (mezcal infused with jalapeno, yellow pepper-pineapple shrub, yuzu liqueur, verjuice, pineapple soda, BBQ bitters) or the non-alcoholic Zao (atopia, cucumber-quinine cordial, apple agua fresca, de-alcoholized cider).
The restaurant's second pillar is the kitchen. Behind the stoves, chef Aurélien Lasjuilliarias, who left his native Drôme to work at Georges V and Les Résidents, unveils a seasonal menu in perfect harmony with his idea of virtuous cuisine that respects both nature and people, and his zero-waste approach.
"Because tomorrow's cuisine will above all be sustainable and responsible, mindful of the seasons and natural resources, emphasizing short circuits and virtuous production, over the years I have developed a network of trust with committed suppliers," explains the young chef, who has signed a most attractive menu for spring .
Gone are the root vegetables and squash that lasted all too long this winter, and on the Nectar menu you'll be delighted to discover the first asparagus and fresh peas of the season. The easy-to-read menu is divided into 4 sections: vegetable, sea, land and the finishing touch. But you can also opt for the "table de partage", a selection of plates chosen by the chef, to be shared between guests (€54 per head).
Delicate spring tarts with peas, fava beans, spring onions and laurel powder (13€); crisp green asparagus with tagetes sabayon and pistachio praline (15€); a signature tarama that's anything but classic, with colorful cauliflower, combawa and fish roe (13€); Ikéjimé smoked eel, textured with a fine jelly and toasted nori seaweed (12€); it's good, nicely dressed, and the local produce is given free rein to express itself.
The same goes for the tartare de veau, huile de noisette et poutargue (14€) ( veal tartar, hazelnut oil and bottarga), an earthy seafood dish that surprises with its presentation in a marrow bone; a little less so for the plin d'agneau, typical Piedmont ravioli accompanied here by a wild garlic pesto and a good jus - we'd have appreciated a thinner pastry, but that's a pecadillo for this very successful menu.
No dessert for us, and that's a shame, but the sharing plates were enough for us. For those nostalgic for the jazz clubs of the Paris of yesteryear, Nectar organizes jazzy Thursdays, every week from 7pm to 10pm. A great opportunity to discover the place's chimerical cocktails and bistronomic plates .
Location
Nectar at Maison Mère
7 Rue Mayran
75009 Paris 9
Official website
www.maisonmere.co
Booking
www.maisonmere.co
