Automne

Japanese chef Nobuyuki Akishige, who boasts an impeccable track record (including spells at L'Atelier du Peintre in Colmar, La Vague d'Or in Saint-Tropez, alongside Arnaud Donckele, Le K2 in Courchevel and La Pyramide in Vienne), deftly creates subtle seasonal cuisine based on top-quality ingredients. A simple bistro interior provides the perfect foil to a streamlined repertoire of dishes; harmonious flavours result from spot-on cooking, as illustrated by the white asparagus, sorrel and almonds or the meagre, medley of courgettes, hand-dived razor shells and verbena.

Hidden, intimate gem tucked away in an alley

• Automne is a tiny Michelin-starred restaurant in Paris’s 11th arrondissement. Descriptions call it a 'tiny, simple but elegant spot' and note that it’s tucked away in an alley with about 10 tables.

A husband-chef / wife-front-of-house couple with Japanese heritage

• The restaurant is owned by a young couple of Japanese heritage; the husband runs the kitchen while the wife handles front-of-house, aided by Joffrey, making it a warm, family-run operation.

Affordable Michelin-starred tasting with short menus

• Automne offers relatively short tasting options for a Michelin-starred venue: a five-course 'Decouvre' menu around €55; other accounts mention a five-course experience around €98, highlighting notable value for high-end dining.

Signature Ingredients

• Seasonal produce / Fresh seasonal ingredients: Automne emphasizes a cuisine built around a rigorous selection of fresh, seasonal products, ensuring each course showcases what is best at that moment and defining the restaurant’s evolving signature.
• Smoked eel: A recurring element in the tasting-menu creations, often paired with foie gras and beets, reflecting the Georges-style French-Japanese fusion and the depth of savory umami in Automne’s dishes.
• Foie gras: Used in conjunction with eel and beet components in early courses, highlighting a luxury ingredient that anchors several signature bites on the menu.
• Beets: Paired with smoked eel and foie gras in prominent combinations, providing earthy sweetness that balances rich flavors.
• White asparagus: Featured in a course titled White Asparagus Frozen Soup, representing the restaurant’s use of delicate spring produce and clean, refined flavors.
• Yellow pollock (pollack) fish: A main-course fish that showcases Automne’s seafood dimension and refined preparation.
• Poularde ballotine: A refined poultry preparation that appears among main courses, illustrating precise technique and texture.
• Veal tartare: A starter demonstrating meticulous handling and composition, contributing to the restaurant’s signature texture play.
• Duck (seared): A main with crispy skin and tender meat, highlighting the depth and contrast characteristic of Automne’s cuisine.
• Poached pear: A hallmark dessert component, often featuring spice or accompanying elements, reflecting the fruit-forward elegance of Automne’s sweet courses.
• Pear macarons / pear-inspired desserts: Desserts that emphasize the pear motif, illustrating how fruit-driven flavors carry through the tasting menu.
• Ginger (in desserts): Used to add warmth and subtle spice in pear-based desserts, contributing to the balance of sweetness and depth across courses.