Anicia, François Gagnaire's natural table celebrating his native Auvergne

A veritable ode to the Auvergne, chef François Gagnaire's native region, the Anicia restaurant delights gourmets in the 6th arrondissement with a single watchword: putting nature at the center of the plate.

Chef François Gagnaire, who hails from Haute-Loire in the Auvergne region and has worked in the kitchens ofAlain Chapel and Pierre Gagnaire (to whom he is not related), opened his first gourmet restaurant on the second floor of the Hotel du Parc, where he was awardeda Michelin star in 2006.

After a marked return to the capital as head chef of theHôtel du Collectionneur, François Gagnaire opened his first Parisian restaurant in 2015, in the city's 6th arrondissement. And since Auvergne is never far from the chef's heart and taste buds, a name in honor of the region was an obvious choice. And so Anicia was born, in reference to the famous green lentil variety from Le Puy-en-Velay.

In a relaxed, natural atmosphere, the decor also highlights the Auvergne, its landscapes and its craftsmen. Books on the region are stacked in the corners, while animated pictures reveal the flora and fauna of Auvergne. From chairs, made by a local craftsman, to knives, sourced from a local cutlery factory... Everything is reminiscent of Auvergne, Haute-Loire and Puy-en-Velay.

Right down to the menu, of course, which gives pride of place to products from Auvergne and Haute-Loire. Above all, the chef's approach is based on seasonality and short supply chains, working closely with small producers he trusts. Wines, spirits and herbal teas come from Le Puy-en-Velay, meats and game from France, and fish from sustainable fishing or natural ponds.

The star of the menu at Anicia's is the green Puy lentil, which is presented in a tin of caviar, as if to establish it as a luxury product. Topped with a mascarpone cream with crab, yuzu and ginger, and topped with a shellfish jelly, this Caviar du Velay (€18) is spread on lentil flour blinis.

In the dining room, on the terrace, or even in the kitchen, seated at one of the secret tables facing the ovens, we continue our discovery of the terroir with two fresh and successful starters: Laurent Montagné's melon, avocado and chorizo tartare (13€) and the astonishing panacotta of artichoke barigoule, smoked eel and fresh almonds (14€).

Then it's on to the main courses, with a piece of grilled Vedelou (27€), the famous veal from the Monts du Velay, with its exceptional tenderness. It's accompanied by a ratatouille revisited with raw and cooked vegetables and beautiful basil leaves. For fish lovers, the chef's recipe for marinated mackerel (€25) celebrates the sea but also the land, with eggplant caviar, potato chips and an airy espuma of Parmentier .

In the style of chef Kei Kobayashi's famous vegetable garden, François Gagnaire also offers a vegetable pastorale (24€), featuring some thirty vegetables and fruits, prepared in a variety of ways.

Bonnard, chef Gagnaire then takes the time to unveil a rather... original cheese maturing technique straight from Haute-Loire. In fact, tiny spiders called artisous are placed on the cheese to grow and sculpt the rind. It's a technique that gives the cheese a distinctive flavor. Some of the raw-milk peasant cheeses (€10) onAnicia 's menu are matured using this process, such as a powerful Fourme de Valciviere.

For dessert, don't miss the meules de foin du Mézenc (10€), fine wafers filled with hay-infused cream, on a lightly salted milk jam, and oven-baked angel hair. A real treat. And for those with a sweet tooth, every afternoon Anicia transforms itself into a tea room, with a small selection of cakes and cookies prepared on the premises .