Tortuga: the exquisite fish restaurant perched on Galeries Lafayette Paris Haussmann rooftop

Tortuga: this is the name of the new table perched on the rooftop terrace of Galeries Lafayette Paris Haussmann opened in September 2020. For the occasion, the chef Julien Sebbag concocts a beautiful gourmet menu featuring fish. Delicate and refined dishes. A delight.

If you're a gourmet and you're looking for unusual places, especially perched ones, then meet Tortuga. Behind this name lies the new collaboration between Moma Group and the talented chef Julien Sebbag (Chez Oim, Créatures, Je Cuisine chez Toi).

Together, they have decided to open a new experiential table on the rooftop of Galeries Lafayette Paris Haussmann, opposite the now famous summer and vegetarian restaurant Créatures (which has just closed for the winter).

With a decoration signed by the architect Franklin Azzi, and a tapestry of underwater reverie imagined by Pierre Marie to decorate the walls, Tortuga will be one of the new must-see gourmet spots of this fall. In the kitchen, chef Julien Sebbag honors fish in a menu that is seasonal, local and wild only.

With Tortuga, Julien Sebbag offers us a real author's cuisine, taking us on a journey with each bite.
In his new restaurant, the chef uses a variety of cooking and fish preparation techniques, including tartar, carpaccio, dried, marinated and grilled fish.

The seasonings, using many fresh herbs and spices, are very accurate. The dishes have a lot of taste, Julien Sebbag always knows how to find the right flavors.

The flesh of the dried sea bass is very dense and tender, enhanced by a lemony Greek yogurt and hibiscus.
The red tuna tartar is very rich in herbs, and the mellowness of the fish is counterbalanced by the crunch of the hazelnuts.
The marinated and grilled salmon is served hot, while the apple tartar is served cold.
The sea bream carpaccio is very fresh, delicately spiced with coriander and Sichuan pepper.

At Tortuga everything is good, delicate. Julien Sebbag knew how to sublimate fish with recipes full of contrast.

As for desserts, the same enthusiasm. The chocolate cake, very good, is neither too strong nor too sweet. Thanks to its cutting into small pieces, the custard gets in everywhere. And the shredded coconut adds a final touch of deliciousness.

As Tortuga is a fish restaurant, the dishes are light. You come out full, but not too heavy, without the impression of having eaten too much.

Nevertheless, you have to break your piggy bank a little for a meal at Tortuga. The plates proposed by Julien Sebbag are neither starters nor main courses, but small fish dishes to share. So you need several per table to get enough to eat. In the end, the bill may be a little high, but talent and good things must be paid for.

On the drinks side, the head bartender Thomas Fradon has elaborated some very nice and very good cocktails, decorated with fruits, simply named after their flavors, like Exotic and Greedy or Bitter and Happy. Each recipe, subtle and refined, has its own container.

Tortuga is a perennial structure, not ephemeral. The restaurant is composed of a small cosy interior in emerald green tones, with a kitchen open to the bar, as well as a terrace with a little bit of greenery and above all a splendid view of theOpéra Garnier and the Eiffel Tower, in the distance.

This very good address is already taken by storm. We therefore recommend you to reserve your table at Tortuga to avoid going there and risk breaking your teeth.

Alcohol abuse is dangerous for your health. To consume with moderation.

This test was conducted as part of a professional invitation. If your experience differs from ours, please mention it in the comments.