Datsha, the experimental table and its hidden bar Spootnik - Definitely closed

Things are hotting up atArts et Métiers, and more specifically at Datsha restaurant, which underwent a facelift some time ago, and has been welcoming chef Baptiste Trudel behind the stove for the past year. Trudel takes over from top chef Alexia Duchêne, who opened the restaurant in 2020, and the duo Vincent Bessy and Joao DaSilva, who shared their small plates for several months at Datsha.

From now on, young chef Baptiste Trudel, also spotted in the Top Chef 2021 edition, will take over the reins of this protean place, which is both a bistronomic restaurant on the first floor and a night spot with its hidden bar, Spootnik, in the basement. Located just a stone's throw from the Gaîté Lyrique, Datsha is determined to offer its guests a complete culinary and sensory experience. Bet on it?

Forget the small sharing plates of the previous chef duo; Baptiste Trudel has opted to return to a more classic menu, with 2 amuse-bouches, 4 starters, 5 main courses, one of which can be shared by two, and 2 desserts. Nevertheless, the chef's cuisine is what it has always been, even at his previous addresses - Mordu Saint-Germain, to name but one: experimental, singular and creative.

And there's nothing like an unusual place, carefully decorated by architect Svetislav Ekmesic, with its high ceilings, luxuriant plants falling from the heavens, industrial glass roofs and large open kitchen emanating good smells, to serve as a showcase for a cuisine that's just as unusual. Datsha has it all, and the dishes are just as charming.

Starting with the flatbread (15€), one of the chef's signature dishes, and the marrow bone (20€), delicately spiced with tzatziki and fried shallots to break up the fat and marrow's softness. Also original are coq en vin en croûte (18€), a Franco-French take on the traditional pâté en croûte, and langoustines (24€) with XO sauce and crème crue, which hide their finest assets under a veil so delicate that we'd be sad to tear it.

Next up, a comforting dish that hits the spot: saddle of lamb melted with orange and saffron (40€), and a dish that marries sea and land, in keeping with the chef's first love: boudin (34€) with cuttlefish, mushrooms and a chicken emulsion; a successful marriage. A short trip to Normandy, in the form of a trou (9€), and we're ready to move on to the sweet score.

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The desserts were a similar success, with a creation based on pear, shiso and hazelnuts (12€), and a crunchy pussy tongue (12€) with scorched white chocolate and rum. These are desserts in tune with the times, low in sugar and bringing together textures, temperatures, flavors and fine combinations to create a delicate finish. If the plates aren't cheap, the Datsha experience is definitely worth the detour.

Once you've finished dining, the experience is far from over. Head down a flight of stairs to discover a cosmic-looking hidden bar beneath the restaurant,the Spootnik! Its décor and design allude to Russia's conquest of space, with the highlight being a spinning orbital sculpture.

Throughout the night, you can enjoy cocktails imagined by mixologists John Lenoir and Dylan Kavak. As for the soundscape, resident DJs mix nightly to delight partygoers. A must for pre-dinner drinks at Datsha, or after dinner, to extend the evening!