Yannig Samot, one of the most astute young restaurateurs in Paris, never misses a change in the city’s mood and intuitively knows how to translate that feeling into a restaurant.
His first place, La Famille in Montmartre, was not only the launching pad for chef Inaki Aizpitarte—now a star at Le Chateaubriand—but also set a new standard for hip eats and flea-market decor. Next, Le Refectoire, near La Bastille, played the nostalgia card again with vintage elementary-school furniture and the kind of wholesome dishes once served in school cafeterias, while Chéri Bibi, in an un-gentrified part of Montmartre, hit the bull’s eye by offering young professionals the hearty terroir of old-fashioned bistro cooking.
Now, with his cozy Cul de Poule (literally, “hen’s ass”), Samot has perfectly read the pulse of one of Paris’s hippest neighborhoods—in this case, the 9th Arrondissement. The brief menu is a perfect short-list of the simple-but-delicious comfort food everyone wants when they can’t face an empty refrigerator at home—perhaps a plate of Basque charcuterie followed by a succulent pork chop served with carrot-and-sweet potato purée. Or maybe squid with pistou sauce, a hanger steak, or roasted Bresse chicken. Farmhouse Beaufort cheese, faiselle (fresh white cheese) with red fruits coulis, or chocolate cake with crème anglaise make for a happy finale.
The prix-fixe is a great buy—two courses go for $26 Euros, three for $33—and the menu acknowledges all of the suppliers: “Merci to Pascal Bellevaire for his butter and faiselle cheese, Monsieur Ospital for his ham, Sylvain and Alain Passard for their vegetables, Annie Bertin for her herbs,” etc. This little recitation is smart move, too, because it not only plays up the pedigreed produce but lets diners know they’re getting good food at a great price.
Cul de Poule 3 R. des Martyrs, 9th, Paris (01-53-16-13-07)
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