Ducoté Cuisine - The next big thing? Could be.

5.6 Ducoté Cuisine, 112, ave Victor Hugo in Boulogne-Billancourt, 01.48.25.49.20, closed Sundays and Mondays opened just a few weeks ago, but only Emmanuel Rubin seems to have glommed onto it – what a shame!  While it’s pricey (80 € a la carte) as you’ll see later, one can exit for under the magic number (50 €) and it’s well-worth the long subway ride to Sembat because it’s almost just opposite the exit. 

 

I went on a typically grey, rainy, Roland Garros day and got drenched entering and leaving, therefore no photo, except of the subway. 

 

It is elegantly appointed, clearly the charming couple who run it, Amelie and Julien Ducoté, who know NY and the States well (Daniel for four years), intend for this to shoot up the charts.  The cooking is elegant and yet traditional and yet innovative. 

 

They started me off with an amuse gueule of a curry-battered shrimp set on a bed of chopped tomato salsa with a shotglass of spicy gazpacho – both simply wonderful. 

 

Then I the daily entrée special, a mousse of sander with lobster sauce; not unlike quenelles de brochet; I sopped up ever drop of sauce, that had a kick at the end,  with their excellent wheaty bread roll. 

 

After that I had the main special – monkfish with an intense red-brown sauce (one almost thought it had foie gras in it, it was so tasty.)  Besides the lotte was a large serving of tasty Spring veggies: asparagus, artichoke hearts, green peas and tiny potatoes. 

 

Though I had no coffee, they provided a nice mini-éclair with caramel and a raspberry tarte/thing. 

 

I had no dessert, bottled water or dessert but if one has the 2-course 35 € formula (3-courses are 43 € at lunch) with a half-bottle of wine (that start at 14 €; bottles commence at 22 € and go to 950 € for the Lafitte-R) one can get out for under the magic number.

 

Go?  Of course you won’t, but this is this year’s Magnolias.