Pertinence, Paris, 11/30/17

Pertinence is a very stylish small place with only about 10 tables, whose name means “food for all”.  The ceiling and back wall are lined with wood slats that morph into a seating bench, two other walls are covered with heavy vinyl drapes and the final wall is large windows looking out on the street.  Copper accents make up the window and door frames. There is a window to the kitchen on the wood slat wall where you can peek and see chefs Ryunosuke Naito from Japan and Kwen Liew from Malaysia create their excellently flavored foods.  Tables are bare at lunch (clothed at dinner) but do provide a generous lovely linen napkin.  Soft music adds a bit of background noise which was good.  A large brass egg  is on the table and hidden inside is additional silverware. The restaurant opened last spring and serves a la carte as well as a tasting menu.  I want to credit Pertinence for the use of their exterior and interior pictures, as mine didn’t work. 

 

We called ahead to reserve the evening tasting at lunch which is 6 courses with optional pairings.  The menu started with a cauliflower cream and comté cheese mousse that was smooth, creamy and luscious.  Thin little pieces of pastry decorate the top that added a bit of crunch.  A wonderful start.

 

Housemade butter is served with warm doughy bread that had a good crisp exterior and dense center.

 

Pan seared scallops with a chicken oyster, garlic flower stem and Grenoble style sauce.  A chicken based sauce was reduced to sticky goodness and accented with capers and lemon.  There was a lot going on with this dish but it was all very tasty and blended nicely together.  It also had a great aftertaste.

 

Pan seared foie gras was served with seasonal vegetables and a kumquat sauce.  Seared salsify and mushroom cream added additional flavors.  Every ingredient was scrumptious and lovely.  This was classic French cooking at its best – a rich, heavy sauce on perfectly cooked foie gras and mushrooms that sang with flavor.

 

 

Line caught sea bass was served with mashed purple potatoes and a yellow wine sauce.  The fish was cooked perfectly with crispy bits on top of the crisped skin.  Again, everything blended beautifully in another winning dish.

 

Veal sweetbread pie with foie gras was served with sherry vinegar and veal jus.  A perfect puff pastry encased wonderfully cooked sweetbreads and foie gras.  It was absolutely delicious.  Savory, buttery and totally yummy.  It was served with a side salad of very fresh greens dressed with a light vinaigrette.  It was a great pairing for the rich pie.  Yum x2.

 

The cheese course was roquefort mousse and a lightly salted brie cheese accented with gooseberry preserves and prune caramel.  A slice of dry toast was just right to add to these magnificent flavors.

 

For dessert they suggested a sweet saki;  it was 15 euros a glass.  Dessert was pears, apples, green sorbet and lemon souffle with a pear souffle sauce.  It was refreshing and smooth and blended nicely with the saki but not terribly sweet.  It was the only hiccup to me, who wanted a tad bigger sweet fix to finish this fine meal.