L'Auberge des Saints Pères, the excellent restaurant and gourmet hangout in Aulnay-sous-bois (93)

Top-flight cuisine for excellent value- that's what awaits you at theAuberge des Saints-Pères, an astonishing restaurant located in the heart of a suburban area in Aulnay-sous-Bois, Seine-Saint-Denis. It's an address that was so popular, it was awarded a Michelin star for almost 20 years. It's a feat of arms that already sets this gourmet haunt apart. Even more recently, the chef of the Auberge des Saints-Pères, Jean-Claude Cahagnet, took the surprising step of voluntarily relinquishing his coveted star.

TheAuberge des Saints-Pères may have withdrawn from the world of Michelin-starred restaurants, but it's still an address not to be missed: here you'll find gastronomy as refined as ever, with a meticulous sense of service and a warm, friendly spirit that can't be invented. In the heart of a contemporary setting that already echoes the plates you're about to taste, you'll find a three-course menu at €49, or a two-course lunch option at €39 (except weekends).

The menu evolves with the seasons, and everything is homemade, including the bread and ice creams. French terroir is showcased with plates that are both refined and gourmet, with an inventive twist and beautiful presentation. This is evident right from the amuse-bouche, which introduces us to chef Jean-Claude Cahagnet 's culinary universe with a lentil hummus on which marinated scallops rest, topped with fried onions for a crunchy touch: a clever way to awaken the taste buds with freshness.

During our visit, we preferred to give the chef carte blanche by opting for the Confiance menu: perfect for fans of blind tastings. We ask about our allergens and dietary requirements before letting the magic happen in the kitchen. We find ourselves between land and sea.

On one side, marinated scallops wrapped in kimchi cabbage, worked like sheets with a farandole of sundried tomato, black shallot, meyer lemon and kumquat condiments surrounding this peppy plate. A playful presentation that allows you to experiment with different pairings, proving that you can have fun with fine dining too!

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On the other side, we find a pan-fried escalope of foie gras, smoked with thyme and served with banana and smoked bacon, a comforting dish in this winter weather, with a sweet-savory twist that adds a gourmet dimension, while the texture remains soft and melt-in-the-mouth.

Next, we drift towards the seven seas and leave terra firma to savor a monkfish from a small boat accompanied by a Royale of butternut with a deliciously creamy texture, topped with a creamy velouté and sprinkled with house-smoked dried goat's cheese to spice things up. On the other hand, a roasted saithe is accompanied by orange-candied endives (excellent matching!) with a speculos and gingerbread sauce that brings us back to the holiday season and tender years.

Then it's on to the cheese, with an astonishing camembert with calvados, before closing this culinary symphony with the sweet tooth's highlight. When it comes to dessert, there's no room for error. We awaken our inner child with a milk chocolate entremet, at the heart of which is a semi-salted caramel coulis that spills onto the plate when cut, accentuating the regressive aspect without weighing the whole thing down too much. A tamarind ice cream and a white chocolate chantilly topped with a marinated goji berry complete the balance of this dessert, allowing us to add more freshness or indulgence to our fork strokes!

For those who don't like sweet things, but still want to end the tasting on a note of sweetness, we can opt for a more fruity proposal. On this day, nashi (Japanese) pears marinated in lime, rosemary and honey were served with a coulis (also pear), lemon curd for a tangy touch, and an ice cream with honey, charcoal and spices.

The creativity of chef Jean-Claude Cahagnet, with or without a star, continues to outdo itself in offering local residents and visiting gourmets a fine dining experience at the right price!