Note:  Restaurant now closed

Pianovins is owned and run by two long time employees of Guy Savoy Restaurant.  The kitchen is under Chef Michel Ronciére who worked there for 25 years and the wines and front are managed by Eric Mancio who put in 28 years at Guy Savoy.  The location used to house Les Déserteurs Restaurant.  It’s a tiny place with only 20 seats so reservations are best.  They are open for lunch and dinner Tues through Sat with a 3 (€37), 5 (€58) or 7 (€69)  course meal offered.   The menu changes weekly.  Art is on the walls and bench seating runs along the walls where the small light wood tables are lined up.  No music was in the background but windows on either end let in natural light.  Service was friendly and you felt as if you were eating in their home. They didn’t bother with the offer of bottled water, they simply brought out a carafe of tap.   The lack of pretentiousness was appealing.  I strongly recommend this place.

Set-Up

 

Food

The amuse bouche was a Jerusalem artichoke soup that was creamy and warm.  Topped with roasted nuts there was a wonderful mix of textures with excellent flavors.

 

Moist dense bread was served sliced in a basket.  It had a fabulously crisp crust and chewy interior.

 

Pumpkin was combined with bleu cheese and serrano ham for the next course.  The cheese was a mild one that matched perfectly with the ham in the creamy base.  It had a lovely color and an even better taste.

 

Cockles were with sea beans for the main course.  A taste of the sea on a plate.  The perfectly cooked cockles had a stong briny flavor which was amplified by the sea beans and a few pieces of seaweed.  The flavor here might not be for everyone but it was perfectly prepared and a generous portion.

 

Cod fish was served on mashed potatoes with parsley with splashes of parsley oil on the plate.   The large flake fish was perfectly cooked with a great crisp on the skin.  The potatoes were quite creamy and paired perfectly with the fish.  Great.

 

Dessert was a citrus pavlova.  The bottom meringue was topped with cream then orange slices and orange juice and sprinkled with powdered sugar.  Amazingly light yet sweet with great citrus flavor and wonderful texture variations.  This was yummy.

 

We finished with a coffee (espresso) that came with a plate of peppermint meringue cookies and chocolate covered almonds. Both very good but I loved the peppermint meringue.