Youssef Marzouk cut his teeth in some of the finest Parisian restaurants under the aegis of top chefs - Nicolas Sale at the Ritz, Tomy Gousset at Tomy & Co, Arnaud Donckele at Le Tout-Paris du Cheval Blanc - and then went on to become chef de partie, pastry chef and sous-chef, before finally opening his first restaurant in Paris as chef-owner.
Named Aldehyde in reference to the molecule contained in the cleavable coriander plant, which perfectly reflects the distinctive - some would say disruptive - character of this Tunisian chef's cuisine, this new and first table marks a turning point in the career of Youssef Marzouk, son of a pastry chef father and a restaurateur mother, who has been immersed in the kitchen from an early age.
The result is a refined French cuisine, bistronomic at lunch, gastronomic at dinner, sometimes even with bourgeois accents like this soothing poule-au-pot, sprinkled with memories of his childhood, his travels and his Tunisian roots. For lunch, count €35 for a starter/main course and €45 for a starter/main course/dessert; for dinner, €95 for a 5-course menu, €120 for a 7-course menu.
The purity is reflected in the atmosphere of the premises (formerly Nellu, chef Clément Vergeat's wine bar), left to the care of Séverine Nenciarini. Free of folklore - with the exception of the fish on the wall, a good-luck charm supposed to bring prosperity and protection to the place where it is housed - the interior designer has opted for noble materials and sober tones that draw the eye to the main room: the open kitchen where the chef fine-tunes the dishes and adds the final touches.
Whether at lunch or dinner, Youssef Marzouk invites us into his innermost being, into his most intimate self. And it's absolutely overwhelming in its accuracy and finesse. Paying singular attention to his sauces, herbs, spices and condiments - in particular, his stunning but carefully measured vinegars - the chef succeeds in making us glimpse, touch and even taste his childhood memories.
The amuse-bouche revolves around the Andaliman berry, a berry with a floral flavor close to that of the geranium, a veritable Proust madeleine for the chef; the carrot and cumin canapé is a gastronomic variation - in one bite - of the Tunisian kemia, while the ras el-hanout is produced by his grandmother.
If the pre-dessert was conceived as a replay of his childhood breakfast of geranium cream and a glass of lemonade, while the morning dew beaded outside (characterized here by an extraction of rose geranium), so too was the Maison's signature dessert, a chocolate-taget dessert in the spirit of an After Eight, his grandfather's favorite gourmet treat. The chef even went so far as to smoke his creamy chocolate on the premises, in order to reproduce his grandfather's distinctive fragrance.
With its soulful grandeur and heartfelt intelligence, this is certainly a cuisine that will move many. And it's sure to be crowned witha star next year - we'll take bets. The rest (a clever mix of lunch and dinner dishes) in pictures.
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Beet, sorrel and Andaliman berry amuse-bouche
In several textures - brunoise, tangy vinaigrette and creamy
In the glass, shot of Andaliman berry-infused beet water and sorrel oil
Mushroom appetizer
Clove tapenade, brown mushroom purée and tangy yellow wine gel
Tunisian Kemia revisited as an amuse-bouche
Carrots and cumin in textures and acidity
Starter of the week
Perfect egg, raw and cooked mushrooms, crispy tuile, mushroom purée
Evening starter with cauliflower, comté, marjoram and ras el-hanout
Cauliflower mousse, gourmet heart of cauliflower semolina seasoned with comté and marjoram
Pickles, Barry velouté sauce
The fish dish
Halibut confit, potatoes confit in a lemon butter
Spinach "Tombée", watercress beurre blanc sauce
Meat dish
Pouleau pot, whole Perche poultry, seasonal vegetables
Lemongrass emulsion, chicken sauce
The cheese
Blackcurrant marmalade with tarragon vinegar, Ossau-Iraty brunoise
Ossau-Iraty espuma, blackcurrant textures - pickles, gel, infusion
The pre-dessert with rose geranium and lemon
Very tangy lemon pasteand gel softened by a geranium and lemon geranium ice cream
Rose geranium extraction
The House's signature dessert in the spirit of an After Eight
Chocolate tartlet, creamy smoked chocolate, crispy feuillantine
Tagetes sorbet, chocolate syphon
In the glass, tangy tagetes water
Dessert of the week
Refreshed ricepudding with citrus fruit and verbena
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Location
Aldehyde
5 Rue du Pont Louis-Philippe
75004 Paris 4
Official website
aldehyde.paris
More information
Photo credits: ©Ilya Kagan
