Restaurant Zakuro, a discreet and authentic Japanese restaurant in Paris

In Paris, there are those confidential addresses that you'd like to keep to yourself. Zakuro is one of those places whose secret we'd like to keep jealously guarded. The spot deserves to be known so much that we can't resist loosening our tongue to share it with you. So, Japanese food lovers beware, here's a favorite address to enjoy comforting, flavorful recipes that honor Umami.

This discreet address awaits us in the bustling 2nd arrondissement . Inside, you'll find a 14-seat restaurant centered around a kitchen where chef Go Sato and his mother, chef Atsuko Sakamoto, perform a ballet that resembles a culinary show, sharing flavors from the land of the rising sun with their guests. Within its walls, the hustle and bustle of the capital seems a long way off, and we can already see the plates passing before us, tantalizing our taste buds.

Lunchtime is reservation-free, so you'll have to try your luck to get a taste of Zakuro's cuisine. Evenings are more of a safe bet for those who don't want to take the risk of not getting a table. In both cases, the offer remains relatively similar, including in terms of price. But whether you're one of those who's not afraid of the unexpected, or one of those who prefers to book in advance, you'll find a culinary experience here that's well worth the detour!

When you enter this astonishing restaurant, you can expect a convivial, table d'hôte atmosphere. Those who have made themselves at home in the kitchen can chat with the chef from time to time during the quieter moments, and discover his strong personality, great repartee and vibrant passion. The producers and their locations are displayed right under your nose, next to the menu, in a welcome move towards transparency. The partners are all French, some of them from the Paris region.

The menu has been put together in such a way as to offer a tasting experience to match our appetites, between gourmet sets and à la carte specialties. During our visit, we began our adventure with the spicy wakame, a crunchy seaweed salad that awakens our taste buds and appetite with its spicy sesame sauce. Rest assured, this starter won't be so spicy as to bring tears to your eyes; it's more a question of enhancing and sublimating the flavors of the wakame.

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In terms of dishes, don't miss the suggestion of the day, Set Chicken Namban, a popular dish consisting of extremely juicy fried chicken, dipped in a sweet and sour sauce and topped with a tartar sauce, served with rice. A dish less frequently found in Paris than the famous chicken karaage, it's well worth a fork (or rather baguette!).

If you're feeling more seafaring, don't miss the Set Katsuaobushidon, a flame-grilled tuna tartare with deliciously melt-in-your-mouth flesh, whose delicately smoky notes are enhanced by the bonito flakes that cover the dish, all resting on rice. This generous plate is both fresh and comforting.

To accompany these dishes, the restaurant also offers a selection of sakés (no, not the strong saké that is sometimes the source of preconceived ideas, but the real saké, whose tasting is similar to that of wine) as well as shochus, spirits generally made from barley, rice and sweet potato that are usually drunk neat with ice cubes, sparkling water and hot water, or diluted in tea, for example.

Now it's time for dessert, and there's no question of missing out on one of the chef's sweet specialties: Daifuku, served in pairs. This Japanese delicacy is the result of a complex production process, and we'd like to thank chef Atsuko Sakamoto for sharing her expertise with the capital. Daifuku are eaten by hand and come in two versions, one simple, the second coated with soy powder. A dough, similar to that of a Mochi but thinner than that to which Parisians might be accustomed, coats a generous filling of red beans (Azuki), melting and sweet. A gourmet way to round off this culinary excursion.

This is how we came to discover Zakuro, an authentic and warm address, driven by a vibrant passion that can be felt in every bite. We're almost surprised to find the clean Haussmann-style buildings typical of this Parisian neighborhood!