Korus, Paris 11

[Margaret Pilgrim]

I recently asked recs for quiet restaurants in San Francisco, and it does seem that they are an anomaly.    We are lucky enough to travel a bit and have enjoyed many small restaurants kitchened by young chefs who turn out innovative food at reasonable prices.    The diners are young and hip and for the most part quiet spoken.   

 

Case in point, Korus whose current Japanese chef pushes the envelop with interesting but always approachable plates.

A simple amuse of radishes and tamara butter

 

 

Smoked halibut under a cloud of chocolate scented cream

 

Asparagus with safran hollandaise and poutargue

 

And one of my favorites of the evening, fresh peas with strawberries

 

Tender as love octopus with dill pesto

 

Iberico pork with polenta and chickpeas

 

Rhubarb ice cream with basil and meringues

 

 

This was a tasting menu at €59.   We added an excellently conceived wine pairing at €37.     All this plus super attentive service...and a soft buzzy ambiance in which you could actually hold a conversation.

Edited May 31, 2019 by Margaret Pilgrim (log)

[Steve R.]

As you know, we ate there twice during our month stay in May.  Both dinners were excellent, with only one repeat dish presented on the 59euro tasting menu.  That dish, which you picture above from your dinner, was incredible enough that I have to expand on your description. The (plentiful) pieces of halibut were topped with a mixture of cauliflower and white chocolate mousse/cream (not sure what to call it exactly, as it was less dense than a mousse, but thicker and more substantive than a cream) and then sprinkled with cocoa bits.  The fact that it tasted great was a major surprise, as it sounds.... well, strange (at best).  The wait staff agreed that they thought the chef had lost it when he first described what he was doing.  Then they tasted it and, like us, were won over.  Inventiveness that works is how I'd describe this chef's output.  And I'm the one who complains that modern "creativity" many times means adding lots of ill fitting ingredients & results in a mess.  Impressive place.  Thanks for recommending it.