First a food magazine and now a concept restaurant, Fulgurances clearly isn’t afraid to diversify its business. This new permanent address on the Rue Alexandre Dumas presents an exciting new adventure for Rebecca Asthalter, Sophie Cornibert and Hugo Hivernat, the team behind the brand, who are essentially aiming to help ex-sous chefs gain experience before opening up their own restaurants. With this goal in mind, they intend to appoint a different head chef every six months to manage the kitchen here.
When we visit, it’s the turn of Tamir Nahmias, previously sous chef at Frenchie, who proposes a Middle Eastern-inspired menu. To start, we plump for a generously sized plate of velvety squid, elegantly posed in a tomato sauce with purslane, green olives and lemon confit, and follow it up with a perfectly braised shoulder of lamb, majadra (an Israeli dish of lentils and rice), spinach and yoghurt. The inventive flavour combinations continue on the dessert menu with an utterly divine cherry and pistachio tart, accompanied by a mysterious mixed herb ice cream.
Given the originality of the menu and the quality of the cooking, the lunch menu is very reasonably priced at €19-€22. We can’t wait to try out the next chef in residence.
TRANSLATION: FLORA HUDSON