Samantha Kagy and Kimiko Kinoshita, two chefs, two Ks (three, in fact!) and a common desire: to open their own restaurant, after a concomitant stint at Jacky Ribault's Michelin-starred L'Ours restaurant in Vincennes. And now they've done it with Aux 2 K, recently opened in SoPi.
The two chefs, one a chef, the other a pastry chef, have found each other. A former sous-chef at the 1-star restaurant Le Violon d'Ingres, then at L'Ours, Samantha Kagy cooks by instinct, with a desire to offer multicultural gastronomy, combining technical skill and creativity.
After training at the Kobe School of Cuisine, Kimiko Kinoshita chose to perfect her patisserie skills in the country that is its king. Having worked at the Michelin-starred Atelier Joël Robuchon Saint-Germain and the two-star Taillevent, it was at the 1-star Le Violon d'Ingres restaurant and then at L'Ours that her path crossed that of Samantha Kagy.
With similar backgrounds in the finest Michelin-starred restaurants, the two partners decided to take their affinity even further at Aux 2 K, their discreet, minimalist 24-cover restaurant.
For lunch, diners can choose from a starter/main course or main course/dessert menu (€29), a starter/main course/dessert menu (€41), a 6-course menu (€68) with or withoutwine pairings (€38), or a selection of dishes on the slate where land and sea meet.
Contemporary and generous, Samantha Kagy's cuisine is meticulous and thoughtful: pan-fried squid, bean sprouts, cured ham and garlic chips (15€), almost a pad thai; pork cromesquis, watercress coulis and herb salad (12€); hearty roast pigeon (30€) with smoked eel, shallot confit and salmis sauce; or grilled saithe, new garlic tourin, chorizo and sauce vierge (22€).
Then there's Kimiko Kinoshita's quince dessert (14€), which is seasonal, visually and tastefully delicate. A lovely joint address.
This test was conducted as part of a professional invitation. If your experience differs from ours, please mention it in the comments.
