Fusion restaurants have settled somewhat uncomfortably in Paris, neither taking the
city by storm nor being soundly rejected. And while many chefs end up resorting
to styles and trends first discovered elsewhere (see San
Francisco and London), certain more
adventurous corners of the city are quietly pushing and changing the
traditional culinary rules of France into new directions.
Nuxis, a recently opened restaurant in the 14ème, offers no
such pretense to its cuisine refraining from labeling it "world
food" or "neo-" whatever.
The small restaurant is tucked around
the corner of rue Raymond Losserand on rue du Château, with a chic but friendly
decor of orange and dark wood. Neither fusion nor
traditionally French, recipes are hand written affairs created and
discovered through experimentati
on and rigorous training.
Owner and head chef Thierry Curiale, a converted Taoist,
says "we're always trying new things. I'm continually searching to find
new balances in tastes, smells and flavors." Those words sound all too
familiar, but even the most jaded of foodies will be pleased by the chef’s genuine search
for harmony through good cooking practice and fresh ingredients.
Curiale, who once ran and operated the entire marketing
direction at Orange/France Telecom,
is fulfilling a lifelong dream, and he insists on doing things right. Taoism,
and the "balance of harmony and disharmony" may be his guiding
principles, but it's the return to traditional methods, organic foods and
patience that guides his method.
Comments on the effective texture of the gomasio in
his popular entree, le fraîcheur d'avocat et de Pink Lady à
l'huile de colza grillée avec gomasio , produced this reply: "the
gomaiso is bio" a short paused and then an explanation, "moving
to bio isn’t cheap, but it's important."
Thetartare
de bar à l'huile de sésame, mangue et coriandre fraîche, blinis de
maître Oumaris the first
evidence that contrasts will be a theme in this restaurant. The thick blini
works well with the mango and sea bass tartare but it's the sesame oil that
provides a punctual saltiness to keep things consistent. A generous dollop of
crème sits atop the tartare, perhaps serving as a safety measure against the
dryness of the blini, but welcome nonetheless.
The main courses offer a more clear link to traditional
cuisine, and prove to be very successful in their use of new flavors and
methods. In particular, the Dos de cabillaud au four, gambas
thym/citronnelle, risotto fondant et son émulsion de beurre blanchas a much needed
but understated acidity that kept the cod from being too strong or
forceful. The citrus doesn't spoil the beurre
blanc and the thyme balances the strong taste of the shrimp. It is very
much a comfort food dish with enough spice, twist and herb to keep things
interesting.
The aubergines, prepared with a crisp buttery outer layer in
the Marmiton d'agneau mijoté des heures, fondue de feta, aubergines et
basilicare superb.
The accompanying creamy basil sauce, neither grainy nor bitter, avoids any
sense of timidity but leaves you wishing there was perhaps just a touch more.
The marmiton itself is a dedicated affair, thick, rich and tangy having been
slowly cooked in the oven since late morning (“every morning,” says Curiale).
The defining essence of Nuxis can be found in one of their desserts, the Panacotta
à la rose, verrine de raisins marinés au thé bio. The Panacotta itself is
quite good, very airy and light, but the surprise and the secret to this
restaurant’s success can be found in three grapes marinated in organic tea. The
black tea, with strong smells of bergamot and sweet spices settles in and mixes
perfectly with the flat dry sweetness of the grapes to create something that
tastes decidedly new and refreshing (two words you don’t hear often concerning
French cuisine).
Curiale explains the method used to create the marinés au thé bio: “it just seemed like a
good idea."
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