If the quality of the food is important in a restaurant, so is the service. And Le Petit Commines has understood this very well. Opened in September 2016 in the heart of the 3rd arrondissement, between Oberkampf and Richard Lenoir, this restaurant, which has been awarded the title of Maître Restaurateur, is now a benchmark in its field. In fact, it's highly recommended to book two days in advance during the week and three days in advance for dinner on weekends! On this particular evening, the restaurant was packed to the rafters.
Behind the kitchen of this bistronomic restaurant is Chef Flavien Carucci, aka Monsieur Papounet. Having worked at the Bristol, the Prince de Galles and Chef Etchebest's Troquet canteen, the chef has created a cuisine that is inventive, refined and gourmet at the same time, with homemade dishes that are constantly evolving according to new arrivals. That's why the menu is displayed on several slates in the four corners of the dining room.
One of the strengths of Le Petit Commines is undoubtedly the quality of its service. Each table is served with the utmost care by a smiling, friendly team. The waiter never hesitates to take a few minutes to sit with us and explain the composition of each dish.
For the choice of wine, we move on to another stage with a game of around 5/6 questions and answers to determine the cuvée that will accompany our meal. Do you prefer " a walk in the woods, a horse race at a stud farm, hands-on gardening or a spicy Thai restaurant..."? And if the wine doesn't suit you, you're free to change it! For our part, the waiter made no mistake, choosing an excellent AOC Costières de Nîmes, Château Vessières from 2015... Note that the references come from small French winegrowers.
But let's get back to the menu, comprising 6 starters, 5 main courses and 5 desserts. As for the starters, there's something for every taste, including that evening' s eggplant caviar with walnuts, three-fish rillettes with orange sauce, and the " Maison de l'escargot " (snail house) , made with snails and... edible shells!
For my part, I opt for the mouth-watering plate ofwhite asparagus slices delicately placed on mimosa eggs and sublimated by an airy, delicious saffron cream (16€).
Banana asparagus, mimosa eggs and saffron cream
My acolyte turns to Papounet's famous and delicious terrine, cooked for 48 hours with Port and Cognac (16€).
Papounet's terrine
Next, while vegetarians opt for Jardin Printanier des Papounets, I'm seduced by the delicious Pavé de Maigre Sauvage, with its blend of balsamic and exotic virgin sauces, topped with diced vegetables that are a real invitation to travel (36€).
Pavé de Maigre Sauvage
Opposite, beef cheek and chuck, cooked in an original way with a sauce based on beer, honey and mustard (€25).
Beef cheek and chuck
The only downside is that the quantities on the plates could be a little larger. So we fall back on the wide choice of side dishes: spinach, pommes grenailles and a delicious cauliflower purée.
Finally, for a sweet note, Monsieur Papounet plays the mystery card, leaving doubt as to the composition of his desserts... For example, there's the crumble des Papounets or the Amers s'adoucissent...
I let myself be tempted by the surprising and gourmet detour of the "Tellement bon" (14€). Let's face it, I only had to take one bite to be totally won over by this dessert, composed of a shortbread pastry topped with a chocolate caramel ganache, a delicious salted butter caramel heart, and a white chocolate siphon. A real favorite, this dessert is unavoidable if you're a cocoa addict like me!
The "Tellement Bon" detour
Other flavors and another indulgence opposite with the Chef's Mystical Banana, made with poached pineapple, basil syrup, chlorophyll and basil crème montée, crunchy orange sesame tuiles, and lemon banana purée (14€).
The Chef's mystical banana
The number of people in the room that evening only confirms our first impression: that of a quality restaurant whose reputation, built on word of mouth, is well established and likely to surprise us for a long time to come!
Note also that the restaurant's Facebook page occasionally organizes competitions to win a dinner for two at the establishment, so keep your eyes peeled!
Practical info:
Le Petit Commines
16 Rue Commines, 75003 Paris
Open Monday to Sunday, 7pm to 11pm and Sundays, 12pm to 2.30pm.
Alcohol abuse is dangerous for your health. Drink in moderation.
Please note that it's been over 4 years since our last visit, so the place and experience may have changed.
Location
Le Petit Commines
16 Rue Commines
75003 Paris 3
Official website
le-petit-commines.com
More information
Open Monday to Sunday from 7 to 11 p.m. and Sundays from 12 to 2:30 p.m.
