How superb and exciting is this new Parisian gastronomy, which gives pride of place to plants. Greenery, more gourmet than ever, made attractive by young chefs, following in the footsteps of Alain Passard, who have their brains and their hands full, with the determination to prove once and for all that vegetable cuisine is just as appetizing as meat cuisine.
Pristine, recently opened not far from the Opéra Garnier, is a perfect example. It's the brainchild of Michelle Primc, a Luxembourger who flew to New York before landing in Paris, and Jérémy Grosdidier, a chef from Nantes who has worked at the Jules Verne and a number of Luxembourg restaurants.
Of course, it was in the Grand Duchy that the two friends first met; but disappointed by the mercantile approach to their work there, which was far removed from good products, they were driven by a shared desire to open a restaurant that reflected their values: Pristine.
The idea is as simple as it is respectable: to put local produce at the center of the plate, in close collaboration with small producers who love what they produce. A winning bet, since Pristine has already been awarded 3 stars by the Ecotable label. From the short circuit to thehyper-local, with products from Ile-de-France only - with the exception of spices, which are organic but Cambodian.
Each product is valorized in its entirety, with the peelings of ugly vegetables (which have their place in the kitchen) used to make broths, pickles and vinegars. Burnt, smoked, roasted, raw, fermented, infused, solid, liquid and even in ice, they are subjected to every kind of abuse. And although vegetables aren't Pristine's only guiding principle (poultry and fish from the Paris region also have their say), it's this green aspect that bowled us over.
Admirable mushroom tartlet (14€), bursts of roasted hazelnuts and tonka bean cream; stunning carpaccio of celeriac (12€), parsley and buckwheat; dazzling smoked roasted squash (17€), fromage frais and pecan gremolata; and then these vegetables burnt in a spicy broth (18€) almost more important on the plate than the braised, shredded poultry that accompanies them.
The cellar's mineral and organic French cuvées are a perfect match for these generously-served vegetal creations, as are the rather light cocktails, such as buckwheat honey, Calavados, Pineau des Charentes and verjuice (11€).
With unbeatable prices, €25 for a starter/main course or main course/dessert lunch menu, €28 for a starter/main course/dessert lunch menu, and evening dishes ranging from €7 to €16, as a final snub to those who still think that eating well means spending a lot.
The dessert section is a must without going to prison, with this pain perdu (9€) topped with a cloudy chestnut cream, and the regressiveice cream sandwich (10€) with hazelnut butter, honey and buckwheat.
Beautiful, tasty and plant-based competition.
Location
Pristine
8 Rue de Maubeuge
75009 Paris 9
Official website
pristineparis.com
