“Montée” was so new when I eat there recently that the awning still bore the name of the previous occupant of this location in the 14th arrondissement, Sur le Fil. “Montée” might refer to what happens to cream or eggs when they are whipped, but in the case of this restaurant, I think it means “moving up.” Japanese chef Takayuki Nameura, like many of his compatriots, is doing great things with French cuisine in Paris.
The decor is elegantly simple, with pale gray walls and a small bar on which sat a big bouquet of flowers, prettily reflected in two gold-framed mirrors.
At lunchtime, there are no choices on the €40 menu (food aversions and allergies are catered to, of course), but you certainly get your money’s worth, considering that there are eight (small) courses. In the evening, more courses are added, and the bill comes to €80.
The meal started with an original amuse-
bouche with a seasonal touch: delicious confit chestnuts, carmelized walnuts and dried mushroom chips. That was followed by a little bowl of brandade, meant to be spread on the
dark bread. One of the best specimens of this dish I have tasted, it was not too salty, as brandade often is.
Next up: scallops with quinoa topped with nori
(seaweed) chips and dotted with a creamy, lemony sauce. Perfect.
Then a stunning cauliflower risotto loaded
with Parmesan, followed by another fish
course: bass with endive and black pepper.
The meat dish was tender pork that had been
slow-cooked for three hours, served with sprouted lentils.
Finally, it was time for dessert, and what a smashing dessert it was! A cup made of meringue was filled with pineapple in many
guises: fresh, dried and creamed, served with coconut ice cream and with a few raisins thrown in for good measure. Wow! That was
followed by oreillettes (fried pastry) and a candied chestnut.
One of my lunch companions was not feeling well and had temporarily lost his appetite, a disaster for a foodie like him, but I shamelessly cleaned off each plate that came my way with great gusto. I suggest you, too, go to Montée for a guaranteed uplift.
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