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 by Alexandre Danan, right down to the imposing, curving bar around which the little bees are busy.
The address's first pillar is mixology. 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 that make up the 6 cocktails that you should smell before choosing your philtre.
With their travel-invoking names and imaginary animals, the cocktails are harmonious and colorful, from theAselia (mezcal infused with jalapeno, yellow pepper-pineapple shrub, yuzu liqueur, verjuice, pineapple soda, BBQ bitters) to the alcohol-free Zao (atopia, cucumber-quinine cordial, apple agua fresca, de-alcoholized cider).
The second pillar of the restaurant 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 spring menu .
Gone are the root vegetables and squash that have lasted all too long this winter, and on the Nectar menu we're 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 veal tartare, hazelnut oil and bottarga (14€), a land-sea dish that cuts a fine figure and surprises with its presentation in a marrow bone; a little less so for the lamb plin, 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 chimeric cocktails and bistronomic plates .
Location
Nectar at Maison Mère
7 Rue Mayran
75009 Paris 9
Official website
www.maisonmere.co
Booking
www.maisonmere.co
