By trying to please everyone, you can lose your audacity. And at Hectar, you'll discover a cuisine that's not lacking in guts. This restaurant with a strong culinary identity awaits you in the 9th arrondissement of Paris , inviting you to sample a limited menu whose carefully crafted recipes sublimate the finest French produce through contrasting flavors that in turn awaken, surprise and seduce us.
At the helm of this astonishing restaurant is Benjamin Schmitt, former sous-chef at L'Oiseau Blanc, the Peninsula's double Michelin-starred restaurant in Paris. His time at this famous Parisian palace is reflected in his cuisine, which is enjoyed here in a relaxed setting driven by a love of sharing. When you step through the doors of Hectar, you'll enjoy top-flight gastronomy at an affordable price, with a lunch menu (starter + main course) at €26 and a 5-course tasting menu at €69.
Here, the terroir has pride of place, and we follow the ultra-seasonality of our produce. On our visit, the first course featured one of France's favorite culinary delights, the pâté en croûte. Made from duck, foie gras and pork, it is accompanied by bitter pickled cabbage shoots and grape mustard. The mellowness of the pâté is skilfully balanced by the crunchiness of the capers and pâté, and to those who might think that this must-have might lack refinement, Benjamin Schmitt proves definitively that the gourmandise of a pâté en croûte should not be underestimated, especially when the chef's savoir-faire manages to elevate this charcuterie pâtissière to a more gastronomic rank!
As the warm weather had returned to the capital by the time of our tasting, we had also fallen for another, more refreshing starter: the sustainable fishing crudo (on this day, it was mackerel.) accompanied by nigella seed yoghurt, artichoke peppers, smoked soy, trout egg and peas and broad beans. Presented like a beautiful culinary tableau, this plate proves that we're dealing with a chef determined to surprise the taste buds.
The yoghurt's light, creamy texture accentuates the sweet, toasty notes of the black cumin, echoing the smoky soy and perfectly complementing the melt-in-the-mouth flesh of the mackerel, while the bitterness of the artichoke provides a surprising contrast. Playing with flavors like a musician, Hectar's chef reveals a beautiful culinary score without a false note!
And the gourmandise reaches a crescendo as the tasting unfolds. When it comes to the main course, we stay between land and sea. On one side, a two-cooked 100-day-old poularde from Tauzin, served with crispy skin, guanciale, flambéed asparagus and a fino jus. The guanciale is finely chopped and covers the firm asparagus, adding a deliciously spicy touch to the bird. This dish takes us back to the generosity of family meals and grandparents' cooking, while offering us that X factor that brings that famous twist to which the chef has now accustomed us.
On the other hand, we go for another sustainably caught fish, this time hake, accompanied by French-style peas, steamed onions and cockles in their own juice. Here, the fish is very creamy, dividing into pearly petals as soon as you touch it with your fork, while thin slices of Noir de Bigorre ventrèche add a touch of character. Each month, chef Benjamin Schmitt pays homage to a classic French dish, and at lunchtime, it was the turn of Castelnaudary cassoulet, which he promises "in keeping with tradition".
The thread of audacity runs right through to dessert, with two light but terribly gourmet proposals. The Tanzanian dark chocolate mousse is anything but ordinary: the cocoa creaminess reveals a frosted coffee, while roasted buckwheat grains add their crunch and toasted notes for a match that works every time! Enough to make chocoholics melt with pleasure.
The second proposal, just as refreshing, was a perfect match for the sunny weather: a strawberry-rhubarb pavlova whose meringue, arranged in a bowl, was surprisingly low in sugar compared to those we're used to tasting. Beneath a light mousse, the dessert unveils a herbette sorbet whose acidity counterbalances the sweetness of the meringue. A beautiful final note for a lunch composed like a beautiful symphony!
This test was conducted as part of a professional invitation. If your experience differs from ours, please mention it in the comments.
Dates and Opening Time
From June 7th, 2023 to December 31th, 2027
Official website
www.hectar-paris.fr
