Bloom, Christian Ventura's favorite vegan sushi restaurant in Paris

Bloom is the name of this new vegan restaurant with a Japanese accent, which has just opened its doors in the 17th arrondissement of Paris. Vegan sushi, already a trend on the other side of the Atlantic, is coming to Paris, and we love it!

Vegans and vegetarians beware: a new restaurant has opened in Paris on the Courcelles side. Named Bloom, this new restaurant celebrates Japanese cuisine in its vegan version.

At the helm is Mexican chef Christian Ventura, straight from Montreal where he already owns several renowned vegan restaurants. It was after a rejuvenating trip to India that he became a vegetarian and decided to open a counter combining vegan and Japanese cuisine in Montreal. The counter was a huge success, and he went on to open a number of other outlets, which were equally successful.

In Paris, driven by a desire to revolutionize the traditional sushi market, he decided to export his ideas and open a 100% plant-based restaurant offering botanical sushi. A concept which, he believes, allows people to continue to enjoy sushi in a responsible way without emptying the oceans.

For his dishes, he relies on products selected from small growers, notably for his cocktails and his cellar of natural wines. Also on the program: a fine range of sakes to come.

Led by Dominic Bujold, founder of Sushi Shop and LOV vegan restaurants in Canada, it was the trio of Marian Tharin, Nicolas Mercier and Matthieu Okabe who came up with the idea of setting up Bloom in Paris, after a whirlwind discovery in Montreal. If it proves a success, it's possible that Bloom will multiply in the years to come.

In terms of décor, Bloom takes its cue from the sleek codes of Japanese restaurants, while retaining the spirit of Parisian bistros. The decor is by StudioLouisMorgan, who has already designed Club Sauvages and Table Kalamata.

Bloom restaurant menu:

On the menu, you'll love the Soba Salad (pictured here in a small tasting version), which reveals a host of wonderful flavors. Soba noodles, mesclun, spinach shoots, red cabbage, mango, carrots, peppers, edadames, coriander, cashew nuts and a peanut sauce vinaigrette make for a wonderful discovery.

Next, the chef presents an assortment on a beautiful Omakase plate. We discover makis and rolls of all kinds, from Kimbap with kimchi and daikon, to the crispy Mr. Crunch with shitakes and oyster mushrooms in truffle tartar sauce, or the Paradise with soy leaf, sun-dried tomatoes, bell bell pepper and shitake.

It's a real Editor's favorite for this beautiful plate that explodes in the mouth with every bite. And yet, we're not necessarily into veggie. However, you can go there with your eyes closed, as we make wonderful flavor discoveries with each maki. At Bloom's, we're far from the insipid cucumber maki: all the rolls are made with fresh, punchy marinated foods, all topped with gourmet vegetable sauces. It's good, original and also very pretty, which we like.

We end the meal with an entirely vegan iced mochi, in chocolate, matcha green tea, caramel or passion fruit versions.

In short, if you're looking for great tasting discoveries, all while eating healthy, wholesome food, without compromising on pleasure and indulgence, this could be your new address.

This test was conducted as part of a professional invitation. If your experience differs from ours, please mention it in the comments.