David Toutain

The grandson of farmers, Normandy-born David Toutain started out in the kitchen of Bernard Loiseau, before making a name for himself at a series of renowned establishments (including Arpège, Agapé Substance). In a modern, loft-style space, he has brought a showcase of culinary experimentation to a quiet street in a neighbourhood of government buildings. His technical prowess brings clarity to his dishes as he tirelessly taps into contemporary tastes (rather like his best friend, Alexandre Mazzia) to produce an ambitious cuisine d'auteur. He and his team now serve their creations in the form of surprise set menus comprising four to 10 courses. The desserts by pastry chef Émilie Gérardi deserve a special mention. The terrific wine list features a number of reasonably priced bottles.

• Modern, loft-style dining room on a quiet street in the 7th arrondissement
• Surprise set menus as the default format, designed as an ambitious, contemporary tasting progression
• Desserts with a strong identity, led by the pastry section as a destination in their own right
• Deep wine list with a notable number of reasonably priced bottles

Signature ingredients and flavour markers tend to be produce-driven and season-led, rather than fixed dishes.

• Seasonal vegetables and herbs, used as the backbone of the menus and often lending their names to the set menus
• Acidic notes, used to sharpen and brighten courses across the progression
• Bitter elements and greens, used deliberately as a recurring register
• Small-producer ingredients chosen with an environmentally minded sourcing approach

A two star table in Paris’s 7th arrondissement, built around surprise set menus and produce-led cooking. Four lunch formats and one dinner format run as seasonal tasting progressions, each named after a plant, with acidity and bitterness treated as signatures as much as seasoning.