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Braise, Ardent, Eunoé, Otto… These Parisian restaurants that do BBQ in autumn and summer

A barbecue in October in the heart of Paris. You’re not dreaming, this isn’t just a late summer weather-related whim. It’s a reality all year round thanks to restaurants that have made it their specialty. And not just for cooking meat, but also vegetables and fish. Small note which is important, all the kitchens are open and visible from the room. As if each cook needed to be able to declare their love to their customers.

Eunoé and Otto: The binchotan aces

When you enter Eunoé, the kitchen is open at the very back of the room. On the binchotan, some fish barely crackle, as this very popular cooking method is delicate. Binchotan? It is a Japanese charcoal that does not emit carbon dioxide. It therefore does not generate smoke or any particular odor, while giving meat, fish or seafood a smoky taste similar to the traditional grill.

Veal tartare marked with steaming binchotan at Braise
Veal tartare marked with steaming binchotan at Braise – Ilya Kagan

Another advantage is that it does not char foods or alter their flavors due to its slow cooking method. You can even cook or mark certain pieces that are a little thick by placing them directly on top…

Apart from certain (good) Japanese restaurants like 116 (Paris 16th), new addresses took up the concept during the summer: Supperblue (Paris 3rd) created by ex-Top Chef Yoni Saada and Eunoé ( Paris 11th) rewarded at the start of the school year by Gault & Millau for best service.

Cooking cuttlefish in binchotan at Otto's.  The fire is in the middle of the room, a counter all around it.
Cooking cuttlefish in binchotan at Otto’s. The fire is in the middle of the room, a counter all around it. – S.LEBLANC

Already last winter, starred chef Eric Trochon signed the Otto menu (Paris 5th), an izakaya-style counter with a binchotan and a plancha in the middle of the room. A young team brings out beautiful little plates to share (zucchini fritter or grilled eggplant, 10 euros, grilled cuttlefish or tab, 15 euros) which delight the students of the Latin Quarter.

“For us, at Eunoé, it was obvious,” says room manager Félix Perrotte. The barbecue makes you think of holidays, it’s a thing of sharing, it’s friendly, it brings people together, there’s nothing more good-natured than a barbecue. » He remembers the four whole milk-fed lambs from the Pyrenees cooked the week of the opening and which established the reputation of the restaurant. With Ryuji Sato, Japanese chef trained by Jean-Louis Nomicos and Christian Constant, they swear by binchotan, which does not distort the taste of the products.

Sea bream grilled over low heat on a binchotan barbecue at Eunoé
Sea bream grilled over low heat on a binchotan barbecue at Eunoé – S.LEBLANC

“Certain vegetables like asparagus lend themselves well to this,” assures Félix Perrotte. After the lamb, it’s time for some nice poultry like the can of Challans which is currently cooked on the barbecue (29 euros). And above all fish “which adapts perfectly to this type of cooking”, assures Félix under the approving eye of chef Ryuji Sato. When we enter Eunoé, it is difficult not to have in mind today the beautiful monkfish with charcoal, rock fish sauce and seasonal vegetables that we are going to share (€37/person) as at the start of the school year he told us was given to taste a superb sea bream that was both grilled and tender. A must.

Supperblue, 58 rue de Saintonge, 75003 Paris

Otto, 5 rue Mouffetard, 75005 Paris

Eunoé, 6 rue Rochebrune, 75011 Paris

Ember: Fire and nothing else

When you enter Braise, the kitchen is on the right on two levels, already visible from the outside through large bay windows. Fire, flame, embers and smoke are not only cooking methods but also ingredients that go into the composition of dishes. Already the smoking room, the size of a huge fridge. “We use it for cream, for butter, a little bit for everything in fact. It works 24 hours a day, although twenty minutes is enough to smoke butter, for example. »

Braise octopus tentacles, cooked over a flame
Braise octopus tentacles, cooked over a flame – Ilya Kagan

Of course, on the menu of such a restaurant, there are always beautiful pieces of matured beef that Sylvain Courivaud, former second to Top Chef Matthias Marc at Substance, stews in a Big Green Egg, the Rolls of barbecues. “The temperature rises to 500°C, which is ideal for meat, but also for vegetables which are cooked on a wok which fits on the Big Green Egg. »

For fish and seafood, Sylvain prefers the more delicate cooking of binchotan charcoal. Last year, the young chef suggested that we cook his scallops directly on them, but all the shellfish work well on them.

As his signature dish since the start of the school year, he recommends his flame squid (20 euros). And especially the oyster mushrooms that accompany his blackberry-marinated filet mignon (35 euros). “Taste this you’ll see, with a smoked pepper sauce, you won’t regret it. »

Braise, 19 rue d’Anjou, 75008 Paris

Ardent: The most beautiful furnace

When you enter Ardent, you can’t miss the huge fire in the middle of the kitchen open to the room. This is where fish, molluscs, crustaceans and meats go on the grill, but also vegetables and fruits which chef Charley Breuvart, who joined the address this summer, reveals through the flames. His specialty is eel, which he prepares with spring onions and sucrine, also grilled, into a breathtaking signature dish (39 euros). “Eel is an oily fish, ideal for cooking directly on the fire.” At the moment, eel is replaced by lobster offered at almost the same price. But in addition to its signature dishes, Ardent also offers an unbeatable lunch menu at €25 for a starter-main course-dessert formula during the week (sometimes with beef chuck simmered then grilled to make it crispy and tender), and beautiful poultry grilled and homemade mashed potatoes for €35 for two people on Saturday lunchtime.

Beef chuck delicately grilled on the Ardent barbecue
Beef chuck delicately grilled on the Ardent barbecue – Géraldine Martens

At the end of summer, the fig is enhanced in papillote/mascarpone/fig leaf ice cream (12 euros). It is poached in red wine, then placed in the fig leaf and cooked directly on the grill. Last week we also found a dessert with roasted chestnuts on the daily menu. The chef’s wishes and availability dictate the à la carte offerings. A delicious corn dessert, part of which is also cooked on the embers, particularly appealed to us.

Ardent, 40 rue Richer, 75009 Paris

William

I'm William from America, I'm a food lover, often discovering and making new recipes. I started my blog to share my love for food with others. My blog is filled with delicious recipes, cooking tips, and reviews about restaurants and products. I'm also an advocate for healthy eating and strive to create recipes that are easy to make and use fresh ingredients. Many of my recipes contain vegetables or grains as the main ingredients, with a few indulgences thrown in for good measure. I often experiment with new ingredients, adding international flavors and finding ways to make dishes healthier without compromising on flavour. I'm passionate about creating simple yet delicious recipes that are fun to make and can easily be replicated at home. I also love sharing my experiences eating out with others so they can get the best out of their dining experiences. In addition to cooking and writing, I'm also an avid traveler, often visiting new places to discover local delicacies and explore different flavors. I'm always looking for a new challenge – whether it's trying an exotic food or creating a new recipe using unusual ingredients. My blog is a reflection of my passion for food and I'm always looking for new ways to share it with the world. Join me on my culinary journey and let's explore delicious foods together!

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