So there’s excellent news and dangerous information.
The dangerous information is that one in every of our favorite eating places near our inns closed its doorways final summer season.
The excellent news is that it reopened a month later with a brand new identify – Oktobre – sharp new inside design (by Studio Bateaumagne), however precisely the identical staff together with genius chef Martin Maumet, previously affiliate chef and now the proprietor regardless of solely being in his early thirties.
So after all we needed to go down there and verify – is this transformation a change for the higher?
Closing our beloved Ze Kitchen Galerie Bis and reopening as Oktobre appeared to be a deadly enterprise, particularly as the previous was all the time full and the meals invariably nice. No-one actually wished that to alter.
Nevertheless, life is change, and chef Martin Maumet apparently wished emancipation from his affiliate (and the identify that got here with him) as a way to open an area that was 100% his personal.
Bid welcome then to Oktobre and its new inside design that includes panels of dried flowers, ceramic tiles which can be equal components retro and bang up-to-date (very very similar to these on the Lodge Saint-André des Arts, two minutes away) and huge mirrors, an ensemble that offers the place a brand new feeling of freshness and area, regardless of really being fairly small and divided into two lengthy rooms.
Overlook the outdated white partitions and loud up to date artwork – the brand new design is rather more harmonious. Even the graphic design and new emblem are nice, with autumnal colors that go completely with the brand new identify.
Oktobre nonetheless has the outdated staff then, and even retains the favored fixed-price lunch menus that had been such successful beforehand, with three programs costing a resolutely cheap 39€, and two programs at 32€ (though these desirous to splurge can nonetheless select the five-course menu découverte with wine pairings for 105€ per particular person).
We determined to stay with three programs!
The primary starter (for carnivores, however a vegetarian model can be out there) was introduced in three little bowls with an inventory of so many elements, sauces and seasonings that we had been unable to know all of them, however every serving was clearly carefully-prepared and contemporary, presenting us with an attention-grabbing problem to guess the way it was made up.
The second starter was pasta with cuttlefish, in a surprisingly massive serving. The cuttlefish was glorious, however we felt the spices had been a bit overpowering. When you’re not used to spicy meals you may wish to attempt a unique choice.
No matter your choice, the presentation of each starters was impeccable.
For the primary course we selected a vegetarian choice that appeared to be no downside (some eating places will not be som accommodating) even within the mounted menu the place no modifications as usually accepted (thanks Martin!), whcih included a Jerusalem artichoke puree, pleurotus mushrooms and little crunchy cubes of different greens. A really tasty manufacturing, proper right down to the jus it was served in.
The opposite most important was pollock with carrots, marrow puree and different crunchy greens. This was completely cooked, vibrant and really prettily introduced. Every element of the dish appeared to have been fastidiously thought out and executed.
And now it was time to power ourselves(!) to eat a dessert.
The pear was visually fairly spectacular (and scrumptious) with the poached fruit hidden beneath a layer of damaged meringue items, served with ‘diplomat cream’ ans small items of yuzu that gave a lightweight and welcome bitterness.
And the butternut ice cream was surrounded by a really gentle whipped cream mousse, whereas on the backside of the bowl we discovered a pumpkin seed praline and a contact of bitter hazelnut wine syrup, such an excellent juxtaposition with the reste.
The espresso espresso was the right end, particularly because of the 2 little chocolaty cubes served with it. Very cute.
So, to summarise, Oktobre isn’t an enormous leap ahead in comparison with Ze Kitchen Galerie Bis, and that’s superb. Certainly, it could have been troublesome to do higher, and sustaining the earlier excellence is already fairly the achievement.
The menu format and elegance hasn’t modified lots, and we’re not made about it, however the area is way prettier (though as soon as it fills up it stays as noisy as earlier than) and the staff actually know their meals and wine.
Frankly, we really feel fortunate to have Oktobre near our inns, and suppose you must get down there to attempt it for yourselves!
Oktobre (right here) is open for lunch and dinner Tuesday-Saturday
On-line reserving right here
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