Hiramatsu (Paris)

Hiramatsu (52, rue de Longchamp; M: Trocadero) came highly recommended and it certainly lived up to every expectation. It is a 1-star in the Michelin Guide and offers a 3-course lunch menu for 48 euros that is worth every penny. We started off with an amuse bouche of gazpacho with tomato “ice cream” and it was very refreshing and the flavors complemented each other. Then for appetizer, we all chose seared foie gras on brioche with a cherry sauce (we are all big fans of foie gras) and the foie gras was nice and fatty. For my main course, I chose beef with artichoke hearts and chanterelle mushrooms, and the different textures of the ingredients enhanced each other. For dessert, I had strawberry “soup,” which was a lightly whipped concoction of fresh strawberries with vanilla bean ice cream. It was not very sweet and it’s perfect for a summer day. To finish, they presented us with an assortment of “gourmandises,” which included a chocolate macaron, a banana financier, cream of pistachio, apricot and raspberry-flavored jellies, and a spoon of tomato with light cream. The service was also impeccable – it was truly a 3-star experience for a reasonable price. No cute guys, but very highly recommended for food!