Zebulon in the 1st: If you appreciate good solid cuisine, thus is your place in a relative food desert.

There used to be a number of great places around the Palais-Royal but I’m challenged these days to name but one, Zebulon, luckily it’s one of the best anywhere.

Zebulon in the 1st, I used to describe as an offshoot of Pirouette near Les Halles, but that doesn’t do credit to its host/owner and the chef Takeshi Aoki.  We went today with a longstanding French/French-Canadian friend and we’re all most pleased.

Our friend took the 28€ 3-course menu and started off with gambas and cuttlefish in a cauliflower veloute and Colette had a gazpacho with gambas as well.

Then she had the confit of lamb, Colette the daurade with bok choi and I went for the 36€ pigeon royal with preserved blood that was incredible.

Finally our friend had a large slice of chocolate tart with cassis ice and Colette and I shared a lemon meringue.

Our bill, with no bottled water but a bottle of wine and three coffees, was 148€ or 98.67€ a couple.