Jungle Palace, Ephemera's immersive restaurant in Paris: our review

Never two without three? After taking us to 20,000 leagues under the sea, then to infinity and beyond,Ephemera is now getting ready to put us in the green. This unusual concept of relatively affordable immersive restaurants has unveiled a new address in Paris. In the 10th arrondissement, Ephemera presents its new spot, whose theme takes us to the heart of the jungle and the animal kingdom.

Jungle Palace is the name of Ephemera's new address, following on from Under the Sea and Stellar. This new address takes the concept one step further, with an atypical space decorated in the style of an antique palace, where nature has reclaimed its rights. An abundance of vegetation welcomes culinary adventurers, while projections on the walls take us from picture to picture as we taste, presenting 5 scenes in all. One room, a thousand moods. Our attention to detail extends to the toilets, where an impressive setting awaits us. Immersion is clearly the order of the day, from the sound effects, video-mapping and lighting effects to the mismatched, antique furniture found here and there at flea markets.

It's in this exotic setting that we begin our adventure. A welcome cocktail (non-alcoholic) is served to each guest, along with an amuse-bouche. And speaking of beverages, Jungle Palace surprises us with a number of original recipes, both alcoholic and non-alcoholic, served in unusual glasses, including a carnivorous plant. Each cocktail is a tribute to tropical flora. For our part, we loved the Batida Indiana, made with spiced rum, mango, coconut, yuzu and macadamia nuts.

In terms of cuisine, the menu is more elaborate than at previous addresses. For starters, we absolutely recommend the tacos. Served as a duo (and therefore easy to share), they delight us with their ultra-melting shredded beef, deliciously preserved in its own juices for 12 hours, with a criolla salsa and sun-drenched cherry tomatoes for an explosion of flavors. The lush surroundings will also inspire you to sample Alloco, fried plaintain bananas served with a spicy tomato sauce.

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When it comes to the main course, we're equally smitten. The unmissable crying tiger delivers on its promise to melt our hearts with a robatayaki-marinated and grilled flank steak, adding smoky notes and served thinly sliced with a chimichurri sauce, peanuts and pommes grenaille that are sliced like butter. The other star is pollock roasted in a banana leaf, served with a brunoise of fresh red chili, exotic spices and basil, accompanied by roasted sweet potatoes. A coconut sauce is poured over the dish before our very eyes, awakening our sense of smell and making our mouths water as we savor this comforting dish that should appeal to lovers of sweet and sour.

Finally, for dessert, we were crazy about the Coco Mango, a generous cup featuring the trio of tropical flavors: coconut, mango and passion fruit. We found the lack of both in brunoise, mousse and ice cream (from Meilleur Ouvrier de France glacier Gérard Cabiron please!), as well as a coconut and passion fruit curable. A light, airy texture offset by the intense deliciousness of these exotic fruits: we love it.

For cocoa-lovers, chocovores will love the Monochrome de Chocolat Valrhona, served in a cocoa pod. This is a real treat for purists, with powerful cocoa notes. On a chocolate and fleur de sel curable, we find a chocolate ganache and a Tanzanian chocolate ice-cream with shavings (still by Gérard Cabiron), framed by a chocolate tuile and meringue.

And as the tasting progresses, the restaurant transforms, transporting us into the heart of nature and allowing us to explore all its aspects. An idyllic setting amid colorful vegetation and a refreshing waterfall can give way to a stormy night. The finale even takes us into an almost fairytale world inspired by phosphorescent plants and organisms. It's hard to remain indifferent.

After all, immersive concepts are all the rage in Paris. In fact, if you can't get enough of them, you can go and (re)discover Stellar and Under the Sea, conquer the Atelier des Lumières or take advantage of the latest immersive exhibitions in the capital!