L'Office in the 9th: The newest chef, Konrad Ceglowski, is a master of protein with fruit and veggies.

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7.4 L'Office, 3, rue Richer in the 9th, 01.47.70.67.31, closed weekends, is a place we've enjoyed eating at since it opened under the banner of Charles Campagnon (ex-Costes but with a most un-Costes approach); who has had a succession of chefs - French, American (Kevin O'Donnell, ex of Del Posto), Japanese (Yosuke Yamaji) and now Brit via Cagna (Konrad Ceglowski, who Heidi Ellison of Paris Update considers the best of the last three.  The menu is exciting-looking and the wine-list comprehensive.  So away we went with our good friend who works in the biz.

She and I were seduced, successfully, by the sauteed calamari with a creamy fennel sauce, zucchini and squid ink.  It was superb, no other word for it.

For mains, our friend chose the veal with a celery puree, pears and long navets; Colette went with the daurade, spiced eggplant and yogurt; and I had the duck breast with incredible smashed potatoes, apple, peanuts, kaki and yuzu "marmelade" - all were also superb.

For the finale we had small vanilla choux, praline and chestnut; financiers with lemon, clementine sorbet and verveine; and "flapjacks" (aka cookies) with rhubarb, pomegranate seeds and Barbary figs.  Wow!

Our bill with a bottle and glass of wine, 5 E supplements, and 3 coffees, (no bottled water of course), was 123.90 E for three, thus 82.60 E a couple.

Go?  Indeed and keep going; Charles and Konrad are on a roll!

Comments

[John Whiting]

http://www.whitings-writings.com/bistro_reviews/office.htm

[John Talbott]

Last year's chef John.
But good to hear from you,
John