Just wanted to post about one of my favorite places in Paris. Montee is a very small restaurant located in the 14th arrondisment of Paris by chef Takayuki Naemeura. I think it was previously located in Japan, but he moved to Paris with his wife and they opened this restaurant. It's on a quiet street and while I think it's still fine dining, it has a relaxed and peaceful vibe. The restaurant seats maybe 12 diners and is generally only staffed by the chef and his very kind wife. Lunch is about 5-6 courses for 60-75 Euros and dinner is 10 courses for 150. Cheese (36-48 month Comte) is an additional 10 Euros. As you can imagine, the pace isn't fast, but they do work efficiently.
We first went in 2020 when it had a single Michelin star, which I think they lost in 2021. I can't quite remember why we decided to go (probably a combination of cost and location), but it's been one of my favorite places since. I will shamelessly admit that we have gone many, many times and on our last weeklong trip to Paris, we actually went for two lunches and a dinner. Impressively, we only had a few repeat dishes despite going so many times in about 3 days.
I won't post all the dishes we had, as I think this post would get boringly long, but I'll share some of my favorites from this last trip.
Raw scallops, rice cake, pine nuts, and beets. The scallops were sweet, very fresh, and I enjoyed the textural contrast between the scallops and the slightly chewier rice cake. Just a few bites and very light and enjoyable.
Cod brandade with almond cream. We've had this one quite a few times. It's rich, buttery, and the almond cream lightens it up perfectly. It's a classic, and done perfectly.
Tuna, asparagus, wild garlic, and black sesame. The tuna was just slightly marinated, with a perfectly cooked asparagus, black sesame ice and crackers, with just a hint of garlic.
Pressed leeks, hazelnut, and foie gras. I've had foie gras here before with bananas and smoked tapioca powder that is probably my favorite version of foie gras ever, but this was a close second. The leeks were a good contrast and the hazelnuts complemented well.
Veal, Viennese cheese, spinache, and morels. Honestly, I'm not sure what Viennese cheese is, but that's what the menu says. They don't speak that much English, and I don't speak that much French and I've never quite figured it out. It's basically veal topped with a spinach paste, covered in a cheese crust. I've had this in a few variations through the years, and it's still just as good.
Mango ice cream, meringue, and lime. A light, gentle desert to end the meal with a hint of ginger.
They do try to highlight seasonal ingredients. Quality of ingredients is also impeccable. They used to make their own bread, but on our last two trips, they have switched to bakery bread. This might not be the place for everyone, but well, I just wanted to share my thoughts!
by VCfoodie