Virtus — Restaurant in Paris

#31th in my Michelin Stars Challenge list Update 2022: I went back twice and it’s a new star !

As I really liked it the first time, I wanted to go back as my Paris Challenge is done (everything is not published, do follow me for the rest). Once there I discovered that the previous team decided to have a big break and left. Leaving the restaurant to a duo that worked at St Tropez with 3 stars Arnaud Donckele (famous in Paris for going from 0 to 3 stars in less than a year with Plenitude- cf review). So technically this restaurant should be in the category of new one star. Indeed, although it’s the same place, name etc… the team is new. Then you may go philosophical one me and ask if the spirit comes from the chef or the place. I would stop you right there. We could have the debate for La Tour or other big names, but here there’s no debate. It’s the people not the place. It’s the perfect example. Especially since it was already inhabited by a strong duo before. But a really different one. So that’s the first interesting thing, you’re trying one of the newest star in Paris. The second thing is the strong coherence within the dishes, between them and also within the restaurant. Of course the sauces are wonderful, and give the spirit of the plate, but you can also sense the spirit of the chef through the different dishes with his delicate touch and yet very “gourmand “ (tasteful). But the last delicate touch is brought by the service that matches perfectly the chef s cuisine: tasteful and yet delicate.

A very solid one star, very certainly a future top tiers. Amongst the best of the new crop.

2022 second update : went back a second time in November because I really appreciate my lunch there in June. This time I decided to go for Dinner and see the difference. Basically, I did enjoy it more. Why? I think the chef’s cuisine did improve as he may have more time to settle down, and the dinner menu gives him more to express himself. But I would also largely attributed it to the fact that the service had even more time to show their skills. It was a last minute decision, but we spent a great evening.

2020 review : Because I look at restaurant at art creations and because I respect it deeply, I don’t want previous creations to disappear and fall into oblivion, you’ll find below my review for the previous version of Virtus in late 2020. I also kept the pictures. The most recent are the last ones after the coffee, starting with the menu

That’s where you’ll fall in love with the Parisian gastronomic scene

This restaurant is a good way to start a Michelin journey in Paris, because you’ll have all that one can love about the Parisian scene. It’s cosmopolitan : a Japanese chef (she was trained with the best in France) and an Italian chef (also well trained). They respect and know their French cuisine, but explore joyfully the world. You have the Japanese quality of execution and attention to detail. You ll have an Étoilé service. You ll have a Parisian bistrot. You ll have a good tour of the Parisian Michelin scene, and from there you can go more haute cuisine, more Bistronomic, more cosmopolitan, more French, more Parisian. In short : Excellent restaurant. Highly recommended. Solid one star Perfect for couples, friends, families and even casual business lunch (that’s my case). Dress code: be Parisian cool. No need to dress up, but you want to be Carrie from SATC having a brunch in the early seasons. The experience: great gastronomic experience, but also great atmosphere. You’ll remember the package, not...

Sensationnel! Incroyable! Fantastique! It may sound like I am prone to hyperbole, but no, usually I am over critical. Ask any of my students, my daughter, or my wife.

We didn't know the power of Virtus at all. It was simply across the street from a men's shoe atelier I spent an hour in. Needing lunch after the stress of purchasing footwear from an unknown source, we spied Virtus and hoped they had room for two patrons without a reservation. It was kismet, as there was one lonely two top left in the rear corner.

Virtus is a small, but very smart restaurant in the Twelfth Arrondissement, not far from the Marche d' Aligre. The decor is understated, but elegant and the ambiance is quite calming. The Maitre D' was utterly charming and sophisticated, as his English was far superior to my halting French. He explained everything on the menu beautifully, and we anticipated a good lunch. Little did we know this was going to be our finest meal in Paris.

My untraditional risotto appetizer had a soft egg on top, that when broken forced the yolk to drip over the mushrooms and the foam concoction. It was unbelievable. I am craving this dish while I write this review. Our other app was a Veloute of legumes, a cream of vegetable bisque, that was simply delicious. My main was roasted duck breast served with grilled squash and the freshest vegetables. It came out from the kitchen in the French manner, blood rare. I didn't want to insult, but I did send the canard back to get cooked a bit more. Five minutes later, the most perfect piece of meat arrived in front of me, and I wolfed it down. Our other entree was a very delicate Pollock with a semi sweet cream sauce. Ooh La La! Desserts continued the masterful cooking with a wonderful chocolate creation and a baked apple that was an absolute work of art. Look at my photos. The bottle of white wine was a bit too sweet for my palate, but that was not the fault of Virtus. Our bill came to 176 Euros, expensive, but oh so worth it. ADDENDUM: This was another meal at Virtus that drenched me in sybaritic pleasure. I was fortunate enough to dine at Virtus before it earned its Michelin star. It is now better than ever and worth all accolades. We dove into the 65 Euro six course disgustation menu, a veritable bargain. Each dish brought tears of joy. Everything, I mean everything, was amazing. Two kinds of bread, an amuse bouche of six bite sized delights, a ceviche served in a scallop shell, a truffled artichoke concoction with a poached egg on top, a lovely piece of monkfish in a mushroom broth, a perfect piece of duck, a poached pear sorbet, two delectable desserts, and a finishing touch of petit fours, were all eaten with exclamations of gluttonous rapture.

Service by Kevin was elegant, warm and simply perfect. Yes, he is very French, but with an incongruous American name. Virtus will charm you with its smart, comfortable and au courant space, understated but stylish. I want to go back tonight, but will show unaccustomed restraint. They probably are completely booked.

Our meal, with a perfect 98 Euro bottle of Crozes-Hermitage Blanc, a Kir Royale, three vodka cocktails, two bottles of water, came to 286 Euro or 325 dollars for the two of us. What a bargain!!!

Although for some, Virtus may be a journey, because it is located in the 12th Arrondissement. I don't care. Take the metro, a taxi, Kapten, Uber, horse and buggy, but get your derrière to Virtus for the meal of a lifetime. Je...

400 euro with 10% tip for two this includes two glasses of wine each

Perhaps I spent way too much time at war these past couple of years and they started giving Michelin stars to everyone. I’m writing this because i received an email incentivizing me to leave a review. So if you want a chefs opinion on the matter, someone who has eaten in many fine dining restaurants around the world as well as around Paris - here it is.

the 2 menues were called adventure and escape which i find ironical.

The atmosphere two stars is way to pretentious for a restaurant that has only 1/2 of the tables seated on Wednesday … we came 15 minutes before reservation time and tried to get inside. The door was closed but at least 3 people saw me trying to get in. Noone came to the door so i purposely picked up a spot where I was visible to everyone inside. At 19:30 someone came to the door and opened it… just opened it. Nothing else … oh i could feel THE ADVENTURE was about to begin

I give * stars to the produce, not the meal. All ingredients were indeed very high quality unlike the execution: anchovy and caviar - good, completely ruined by the poor texture of third cheese bite brioche was delivered too hot, did not rest properly more bread arrives immediately after brioché for what? It’s just taking up space on the table crab was good served with unbalanced sauce scallop also served with the sauce that did not stick to it. If you don’t know how to make foam - don’t make it mullet was really good, the sauce or was it soup, either way didn’t complement other ingredients and felt more like an alien liquid the shrimp was well cooked and served with zabaglione or zabaione - technically a beverage that you serve as a sauce. I guess a philosophical take on shrimp cocktail? It was one dish i found mildly interesting. after came the palate cleanser which felt more like the grill cleaner it was soo overpoweringly lemony. Like a de-limer. Didn’t finish it. the squab cooked 2 ways with some foie gras i could barely taste was descent

The service was ostentatious and clumsy at the same time: none hear can pour a glass of water without spilling it all over the table the seating is awkward near the window table so the server is always behind your back like a ninja whose very bad at his work the table just keep getting progressively dirty the entire duration of a meal most explanations of dishes are just mumbled incoherently. Also just reciting the ingredients of a dish out loud basically means nothing - i could have read that...