Ortensia — Restaurant in Paris

11/10. Perfection all the way through.

Wow. From the moment i saw the door i had butterflies. The polite gentleman smiled through the window then opened the door and welcomed me in. Gathered my things gracefully (5 shopping bags from a long day) and offered to store my perishable items in the chefs fridge until it is time to leave. My goodness, I hadn't even thought of that. Before even a blink i was being taken care of to the highest degree; i didnt have to use my brain at all. He kindly, and i must again reiterate, gracefully took leadership and began to guide me through my journey. I am so grateful for this introduction

He gave me honest and thorough explanations with my wine pairings, which were perfect in terms of pace and pairing.

The food? Incredible. I have NO IDEA where the bad reviews are coming from in terms of flavour. This type of food experience is rare to find. Something michelin that is ACTUALLY exceptional, interesting, and mind blowing. No matter what price level or starring. How can i even describe? Flavour explosions, flavours unlike any ive had before (and i eat a lot) never too overwhelming; its an intimate intensity. The tartare is so crazy. Flavours and textures shine, you can taste and feel each element and then they harmonize. Everything in each dish is indespensable; every grain of seasoning needed, size and quantities exactly as they are, is needed The duck: One of the best things i have ever tasted

Every element needs each other. Each things seasons its companion Its so beautiful i could cry They are each so strong on their own but need each other to reach the peak Mind blown. Officially Utter perfection. Truly elevated and superb.

My bar is heightened now

The desserts were too good to explain, it's where I began to actually cry. The palate cleanser was a refreshment of shiso and muscat, I will never forget the sensation of tasting this it was mind blowing. It made me cry, I was just thinking about how passionate and focused the chef is and how he and his team created an experience so beautiful. That they were all able to bring their concept to life. Bursting with life it was.

I can't get into every detail of every dish. Every single one was amazing and its own way.

You must go for yourself.

Additionally, would like to call just another moment of attention over to service. Everyone was lovely, I believe the main person taking care of me that evening is named Romain. What a sun beam of a person. Truly unforgettable his kindness happiness thoughtfulness and passion will never be forgotten by me.

Im so grateful, i will be back as soon...

#126 in my Parisian challenge of trying every Michelin Stars (I did finish the challenge in 365 days, as I tried every 3 Stars in France, but I’m continuing…) Follow me for all the reviews and updates. This a new 2023 Michelin Star.

So what’s interesting here? First French, then Japanese.

I’m first going to get rid of the trivia. This restaurant is located where previously shined Astrance (now relocated). So don’t be surprised if you recognize the address. The interior has been renewed, it’s in line with the objective : the focus is on the plate, the rest must beautiful but not distracting. Also the chef was previously at the Pilgrim, and the maître d’hôtel at the Clarence in Lille (I went in both and wrote reviews).

It’s a Japanese chef playing more on the French side. This is a crowded space, and crowded with talents (and one that I love particularly, because I always love to see the reflections on the French cuisine through the lights and the eyes of a foreigner). So is it more Japanese or French? Or how much French is it? Contrary to a quick first look, and after reflections, I end up on the French side. Which is a bit surprising to me because it was not the case in his previous place, and furthermore, if you look at the pictures (or better, watch the videos), you may think otherwise. Or at least, he’s in the middle tilting to the Japanese side. But no. Because the essence is French, and then he adds some Japanese twists. Let me develop that. You can easily imagine a perfectly executed very French version of each dishes, and then you can add some very personal Japanese notes in the form of addition or substitution. To put it in another more classical gastronomical way, he’s more into adding than subtracting, later being more classically the Japanese way. It’s subtle, yet the philosophy is there. And you could argue that it’s not necessarily the case for the dessert and some appetizers. I would agree. Still, you’re in a French restaurant (meaning French haute gastronomy, not traditional French), with a chef adding some of his Japanese vocabulary to create his unique expression.

The crowd was foodies, casual chic dressed. Then again, it was right after they got the star…

I did appreciate his take, and I did appreciate that he’s not shy in expressing himself. I’ll come back most likely to try a bigger menu to see how it goes, and because I’ve also spotted wines I’d like to try on the wine list.

Most likely it will be, at least, a solid...

This will be a harsh review but certainly warranted after my experience at Ortensia. I have expected a visit to a restaurant presenting a high quality modern food journey, but it is all just a facade. Truly a disappointment. I haven’t posted a review before but I had to make one as a warning and feedback for the kitchen (although I expect it to fall on deaf ears, the chef, even though in the kitchen, didn’t come to ask about anything even though our plates were being returned half finished or barely touched).

First, regarding the food - most of it was just bland and lacking cohesion. A lot of ingredients thrown in to achieve a decent look but taste-wise not what I would expect at a restaurant priced like what you would see at high quality fine dining places with a Michelin star.

The pastries were also lacking, two of them were so cold it felt that they have just been taken out of a freezer, not pleasant at all. Taste wise nothing special, I’ve eaten much better macaroni for 2 euro for example.

Last but not least the wines, Ortensia boasts a huge book to pick from yet the picks from our waiter were tasteless other than the first white Pinot noir that was a decent starter. The wine portions were a bit too large as well and served too often, I was slightly tipsy and I haven’t finished two of them.

All in all, this is mostly a warning as I used google reviews to find this restaurant and got exact opposite of...