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Hidden Kitchen

Reviewed by: Daniel from NY, review #3163

When: 2008

A wonderful culinary and social event for those seeking something a little different.

It can be argued that the hottest ticket right now on the Parisian dining scene is Spring. If that’s true, then I think that Hidden Kitchen may be closing in on Daniel Rose’s lead. HK is not a restaurant really; it’s described by Braden and Laura (the young, talented couple from Seattle that started HK) as a “dinner club” that takes place at their apartment, which was near the Etienne Marcel metro stop in the 1st when we ate there (they have since moved to a new location near the Louvre).

My initial and vague understanding was that this operation was not 100% legal because they haven’t gone through all the bureaucratic nonsense that one needs to go through to open a real restaurant in Paris. However someone told me afterward that they get around it by not officially charging for the meal. Instead, they “greatly appreciate” a "donation" of €70 per person for the meal. Fair enough.

So the way the reservation works is that you email them when you want to come (they serve dinner on Fridays and Sundays, and sometimes Saturday too I think - the schedule feels a little amorphous) and then about a day or two before the big night, they email you the address of their apartment and their phone number in case you have questions, etc. I loved the clandestine vibe of it all. I only wish they made you say a password at the door, but you can’t have everything.

When I arrived, my friend David was already there, Champagne flute in hand chatting animatedly with another one of the guests. After I got my own coupe, I too began to chat with the other people there. It was an all American gathering (which I understand is not an uncommon occurrence at HK). There was one expat couple living in Paris, but most of us were vacationing or just passing through.

After a while, we were all requested to take a seat at the communal table in the dining room. So now here’s an “insider tip”: whatever you do, make sure that you try and sit in the middle of the table. That way, you can participate in the conversations on both your left and your right. I instinctively did this, but unfortunately one of the young women guests asked if she could keep her group of four together and so we were shifted to one end of the table. No, not a disaster, but somewhat presuming and odd on her part I thought. I mean, ostensibly part of the whole HK experience is that you get to talk to new people, right? So why be so intent on keeping your own little group together? Whatever.

Anyway, notwithstanding that small bump at the beginning of the evening, the dinner as a whole was a huge success. Each course was announced to the group by either Laura or Braden, and Laura likewise announced each wine that was poured throughout the meal. The amuse was a zucchini fritter with a shot glass of cucumber lemonade on the side. A creative and refreshing start to the meal, for sure. Then it was on to a roasted fennel soup with pickled tomato and sweet pepper relish. I love fennel, so I could have drunk a keg of this delicious fluid. Next up was the visually appealing and delicious Arzak egg on some greens. This was a flavorful homage to Basque chef Juan Ramon Arzak and his signature poached “flower egg” dish.

The fun continued as we were then served pan fried trout over quinoa (a Peruvian grain), artichoke, sorrel and blood orange salad. This was just as brilliant as all the creative fish dishes that we’d eaten the night before at La Bigarrade. Then we all got to catch our breaths over a cleanser that tasted remarkably like an Orange Julius.

Out taste buds weren’t left languishing for long though, because soon thereafter came the beer steamed guinea fowl over barley with onion rings and grainy mustard. Creative both texturally and flavorfully. The last main dish, however, really blew my head off. This was the cumin encrusted flank steak with crispy grits and red onion, topped with a tomato and avocado salad.

The straightforward yet tasty Caesar salad was a welcome “rest” from all this culinary brilliance. Once again though, the breather was short-lived as Laura announced the strawberry shortcake which was set on, get this, black pepper ice cream!! I almost fell off my chair when I took the first bite. The combination of the spicy pepper with the sweetness of the strawberries and the buttery cake part was almost too good to comprehend. I really love it when someone can put something on a plate that makes this jaded New Yorker think “wow, I’ve never tasted anything like this before.” Brava to Laura on that one, as she is the pastry chef in the house. BTW, HK accommodated David’s vegetarianism by substituting the meat dishes with fish.

Petits fours (including a Rice Krispie treat) and coffee were set on a table sometime after 11:00pm, and I think the group finally started leaving at around midnight. Between the great conversation and marvelous food no one had been looking at their watches and none of us could believe how the time had flown.

This review is the opinion of a Slow Travel member and not of slowtrav.com.

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