Lucas Carton – €€€€

Address :
9 Place de la Madeleine, 75008 Paris

Telephone :
01 42 65 22 90

Website : www.lucascarton.fr

Opening hours :
Open Tuesday to Saturday (lunch & dinner)

Tasting menu : 89€

At Lucas Carton, there is a sense of timelessness and old-fashioned charm that makes you feel like both nothing and anything could happen. Julien Dumas’ precise, pure and vibrant cuisine shines amidst the dainty glassware, the flowers, and the luxurious carpet. Right from the start, the irresistible chestnut and mushroom focaccia followed by the sea urchin and red pepper gelée reel you in. Each element is meticulously thought-out, there are no frills, just the product, sublimated on the plate. Even the caviar plays a leading role, basking in the squid bouillon and adding a taste of the ocean with every burst.

Since Julien met his fishmonger Gilles Jégo over ten years ago, his cuisine has been inspired by the ocean, and by the crates filled with surprises from Brittany that Gilles delivers every week.

Luxury lies in his tenacious desire for exquisite simplicity.

Since then, the young chef has learned everything he possibly could about every  species of fish, from their seasonality to the kind of boats that fish them, and the way in which he likes to cook them. He is an inexhaustible source on the subject, and ever so enthusiastic and energetic. And this energy can be felt in his plates, which are full of vitality and vibrance, citrus and spices, and perfectly cooked ingredients, from pearly-white fish to crisp vegetables, and explosive flavors. We were moved by his merlan en papillote with buckwheat. The ivory-colored fish was crisp, with a slightly roasted taste that reminded us of Brittany; proof that there can be radiance in modesty. That is when it became clear: Luxury lies in his tenacious desire for exquisite simplicity. A simplicity that is not used for special effect, but as an ode to life.

 

(c) Julien Lienard