Birthdays being very special occasions, it provides the perfect opportunity to celebrate somewhere special. This month was the month to try the Salon de Helen Darroze which I have long been eyeing. Helene Darroze is one of the rare female chefs who have obtained the coveted Michelin star, in her case she obtained two stars for her eponymously named restaurant. Curiously enough according on my trusty old food guide, it was the Salon which obtained the higher food rating. And since the goal was to have a great meal, I went with the Salon. Fortunately, it was the right decision as our meal was certainly one of the best I’ve had in Paris.
The Salon (4 rue d'Assas 75004) is the tapas bar style restaurant located just below the actual restaurant. As such, the full menu comprises 9 “tapas” or platters. For those with just a little less appetite, one could have the 6 tapas set. Whether you choose 6 or 9 it is a veritable feast of tastes featuring a memorable marriage of the traditional with the innovative. For instance, there was a memorable foie gras platter made crème brulee style with green apples served in tall glasses. Yet another memorable platter was that of squid ink risotto served with an infusion of parmesan cheese. With this dish, the savory taste of the squid is delightfully set off by the parmesan. Another favorite was the grilled tandoor style langoustines served on a bed of pureed carrots mixed with agrumes. Instead of a traditional cheese platter, what was served was a small club sandwich style cheese dish, where the delicately smoky flavored cheese was drizzled with 12 year old balsamic vinegar. Yes, you read it right, the vinegar was 12 years old. Simply astounding. In fact it is an understatement to say that everything was delicious. Certainly with such a meal, you come away with a full appreciation of the kind of food created by Helene Darroze which merited those two Michelin stars.
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