GYOZA BAR , first look

It's no secret that I'm a big fan and friend of Guillaume Guedj and Shinichi Sato's Passage 53, my favorite restaurant in the City of Light. So it was with obvious pleasure that his new project, which he's been raving to me about for months now, has finally seen the light of day.

GYOZA BAR, located at 56 passage des Panoramas, just three doors down from the two Michelin star mothership Passage 53, is about to open its doors.

I got a little taste tonight at their private, friends only party, and am happy to say it works: great concept, superb products, good value. Think: gyoza (filled with echine de porc, i.e. pork loin from Hugo Desnoyer , mixed with yuzu kosho ( a chilipepper/yuzu mix) , garlic, ginger, and cooked up in a ravioli shell made in their upstairs lab, steamed on one side, fried on the other) , washed down with chilled Yebisu. The deco is all anthracite grey Italian wall brick, gorgeous wooden floors, and a counter seating fifteen happy diners, not to forget the oh-so-fun Toto toilet.

The gyoza, priced at 6€ for eight pieces, 8€ for twelve pieces and 10€ for sixteen pieces is a bargain. Sides of ponzu laced rice at 2€ and marinated soy salad at 1.50€ are a steal, and beers are priced at 3€ and 4€ is just damn silly (with me in the room, anyway).

Not many know that Shin is a closet gyoza master, and often the cook at parties with friends (which was the original inspiration) so the project is a particular subject of pride for the shy, unassuming chef.

The front door message says it all: "Gyoza is a popular and emblematic Japanese dish. We wanted to honor it with our own special recipe made with the best products possible".

Look for one near you soon.

GYOZA BAR
56, passage des Panoramas
+33 1 44 82 00 62
Open from 18h00-23h00 pm

Passage 53 - one star in the Michelin !!

Actually, I'm taking time out of my no-comment-on-the-Michelin-guide-hiatus to say bravo for giving my favorite restaurant of the year, Passage 53 their first star.

I've been railing on this subject ever since Adeline Grattard told me the guide called her a few weeks ago to tell her of her first one star promotion, believing that Guillaume and Shin deserved it better- for the hard work and transformation they went through, from a "modern bistro" concept, ripping out the bar and changing the decoration to make the dining room more comfortable, giving chef Shin his chance to follow his own culinary path, and just being all around great guys with a totally unique restaurant.

Seeing Jean-Luc Naret there during lunch a few weeks ago (he returned two weeks after for another lunch), and hearing that the inspectors had already come by a number of times gave me a clue, but this was a big surprise. I'm happy to have promoted/supported/been their biggest fan-boy. Congrats!

I predicted it in the above article a few months ago, surprised noone else saw it coming ;)

The other two tables of note, are  Yam T'cha with one star (controversial with many Parisian foodies who think the cuisine is flagging) and La Bigarrade, with two.

Passage 53 - menu degustation

Last night took the occasion to try out the new degustation menu at one of my favourite tables. For those of you who have been living in a cave for the last few months, the Passage 53 is one of Paris' most interesting new restaurants: located in the city's oldest covered passageway, run by Guillaume (whose father-in-law is France's most famous and coveted butcher de luxe, Hugo Desnoyer), and orchestrated by Mr. Sato, former chef of Paris' only Michelin-starred Japanese, Aida. (who also did a stint at the three-star Astrance). The restaurant was boiling inside, so luckily we had a table on the terrace, where we enjoyed nine dishes from the chef's surprise menu, which at 60€ is reasonable and worth the detour.


Broccoli emulsion with crunchy broccoli bits


Veal tartar from Hugo Desnoyer on a bed of Gillardeau oysters


Grilled calamari with cabbage and cauliflower cream


Foie gras with strawberries


Cod with white radish cream


Turbot


Veal filet with noirmoutier potatoes and mushrooms


Rhubarb jelly with rhubarb cubes


Green tea sorbet with red fruit and puffed rice

Passage 53

Veal medallions with mashed potatoes

Very decent steak tartar (not as good as Fines Gueles, tasty fries though)

Faux filet with roast potatos (Desnoyer meat, cut in strips, cooked and seasoned perfectly and pretty damn near perfect)




A kind of hipper, more inspired Glou, this little lounge/bistro in Paris' oldest covered passageway has a lot of promise. Good products (Desnoyer meat, excellent Jabugo) , Mr. Sato, a chef trained at the only one star Japanese in the city, friendly service and easy prices. And their cred is snowballing in the Paris foodie blogosphere. Next Figaroscope 2/3 star? Only critique: the decor, which is neither "lounge" nor "bistro".

53 passage des Panoramas, 75002
+33 1 42 33 04 35