I first visited Granite last April, shortly after they opened, and it was a great experience, so I was eager to try it again. Find my notes from that visit here: https://mariellen-musing.blogspot.com/2022/04/only-few-months-old-but-rock-solid.html
They don't take online reservations for parties of one, but I called them last night, and had no problem getting a table for lunch today!
They started me with an intense Earl Grey tea with herbs. I’m not a big Earl Grey fan, but this was very tasty. And the warmth was nice on this chilly day.
My amuse bouche:
- Scorpion avocado
- Beet crisp with caviar
- Fish and bean purée in a thin pastry skin
- Warm and sweet/mild roasted artichoke in a foamy deep-flavored roasted onion jus with herbs
With my amuses, Domaine Menard Gaborit Clos
Cormerais Muscadet, made with the Melon de Bourgogne grape. Beautiful fruit with pear dominating, some
lime, and a hint of acidity and salt.
For my first first course, a large poached oyster with kimchee, apple, melon, citrus water and apple oil. Wowzer. The textures and depth and freshness were amazing.
Next, skate wing that had been cut into strips, cooked in butter, then swirled into a drum shape. Served with an intense fish stock, tropical fruits, carrot, and trout eggs. Sweetness and creaminess all around, with just enough saltyness. Sorry that you can't see the insides of this fascinating dish.
The Château Tour Blanc Les Mille Fleurs 2009 was intense, viscous, conveying earthy, gingery, smoky, white fruit flavors. It amplified everything that was dry in the first courses. It's made with Ugni blanc grapes.
Venison tenderloin was roasted medium rare, and stacked with lingonberries, crisp potatoes, silky mashed potatoes, and chestnut purée. There was a pool of venison demi-glace and pecans on the side, and the plate was dusted with cocoa. What a revelation! (And there was a little ramekin of mash on the side, just in case I didn’t have enough!)
The Domaine Julien Bourgogne Pinot Noir was fruity (cherry, cassis), herby, earthy. It paired beautifully with the acidity in the venison plate.
Next, a glass of Domaine Nowak Champagne to go with my pre-desserts - Pinot Meunier, Pinot Noir, and Chardonnay grapes. It had lovely tropical fruit notes, was sharp and dry.
Warm melty Brie with razor-thin mushrooms, truffle, apple purée, and brioche crumbs. Oh la la!
Pomegranate ice and seeds, and a zig-zag of crème fraiche
Then for dessert, a nest made with strips of puréed and partially dried chestnuts. Horseradish passionfruit gel. Cake soaked with whisky syrup. A neutral foam on top. Oh, my goodness, the creativity of it all! Again, sorry that you can't see the insides of this concoction.
With dessert, a cider made from an ancient crabapple-like fruit that maker Éric Bordelet found on his estate. Apparently the fruit is very hard to press, so the yield is tiny. It had a condensed fruit, tree-tunk, almost vanilla caramel (but not sweet) taste. Remarkable.
They offered a few options for espresso - I went with the one from Peru - deep and delicious. And, of course, there were mignardises!
Another great experience! Check it out when you’re in town - it’s just a couple blocks from the Louvre.
Granite, 6 rue Bailleul, https://granite.paris/
