Sens Uniques: A live one in a dead zone.

7.0 Sens Uniques, 44 rue Damremont in the 18th, 01.42.23.04.63, open 7/7, opened in mid-October to near-silence from the gastronomarati, except for Ruben's 2 hearts and Toinard's two dots.  No ringing endorsements those.

Why?  The location - in the "No Man's Land" between lines 2, 12 and 13? (although within steps are Virginie's Cheese, Delmontel 's bread and Lahrer's pastries); the name - One Way Streets, Only in Sens, Bad Smells, Unique Flavors?; or that it followed in the wake of Le Winch, which soared and spectacularly crashed and burned and despite Parigi's incantations might not have been able to revise its feng shui, karma or curse?

In any case, the owner or owners have done a terrific job at refashioning it, while keeping its seafood orientation.  It's bright, light and they smite you with a tremendous unexpected warm welcome.

There's an incredible nearly-forced-choice formula at lunch, 15 E for 2 dishes, 17.50 E for three but

there's also a multiple choice 30/35 E menu which I chose.

My first consisted of 10 noix de petoncles (with their coral) cooked on a plancha with a delicate but slightly sweet/slightly sour sauce with spinach leaves around a round of crab bits, picked off the little buggers; inventive, complimentarily flavored, subtle and sublime.  Plus it was topped off with microscopically thin threads of beets.

Then I had their bourride, which one always orders with a degree of anxiety due to lower-level places' habit of tossing into it everything that didn't sell yesterday - but no, this was well thought out and had piece of mild fish (monkfish like), a pink salmon trout-type one - both offset by a piece of fierce haddock - as well as beautiful sliced wild mushrooms, carrots, bok choi (I swear) and broccoli.  At first, I dodn't like the etrille (crab) sauce but as I progressed, I really did; however the revisionist rouille/aoili never grew on me.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Now as I've been hinting, ancient recipes here are tweaked a bit, so when I ordered the Paris-Brest, I was on my toes for a twist.  And by golly, it was different, it was succulent, it was satisfying and as long as I know my cardiologist doesn't read my blog, I'll say it was probably bad for me.   On the other hand, what isn't?

My bill, with 2 glasses of superb Loire Sauvignon, quite acceptable bread and terrific coffee with fine madeleines, was 47.50 E.

Problems John?  Yah, the bottles in back of the bar were too carefully lined up, indicating extreme care for details; but now that I think of it, care for details was their hallmark from the welcome, to the menus, prices, products and goodbyes.

Go?  Laidback - hie thee here and see if I'm lying.

Comments

[Jim Hutchinson]

Thanks John, we will try it in April, but I may be too timid for the fierce haddock.

[Margaret Pilgrim]

A J.T. 7.0 on the #95 that is open 7/7? Oh, happy day! Am I insane to think they might even be open on Easter Sunday and/or Monday?

[John Talbott]

I did not ask but sounds like it's worth finding out.