Restaurant 39V is a brand new venue that has opened on Avenue George V in Paris. The name comes from the address, being number 39 on the road. Being so new, we had no idea what to expect, there were no reviews, no press, or anything else to influence our expectations. This was a whole new experience.
While the address may be on George V, the entrance is not. It’s actually on Rue Quentin-Blanchart, number 17 for those trying to find it. It only has an entrance, the restaurant itself is on the top floor, accessed via a lift in the lobby.
Once you find it, the restaurant is quite smart. The décor is chic, the furniture new and very contemporary. The large windows and the courtyard garden with lemon trees added a very Mediterranean feel to the place. The atmosphere is light and relaxed, ideal for an enjoyable meal.
"The entire 39V experience was a great one from start to finish"
Much has been said about the chef, if not the restaurant itself. The chef is a former pupil of Alain Ducasse, Frederic Vardon. He has already made an enviable reputation for himself, so it would be good to see what he did once he flew solo. From our initial impressions, he was off to a very positive start.
We were greeted and seated quickly, our table was ready for us, even though we were fifteen minutes early. Our waitress handed us a menu and talked us through the specials. Her English was excellent, and she knew the menu inside and out. Answering our questions without a pause.
That is a sure sign of quality. Taking the time to train the staff and ensuring they know all they need to know. It’s the most basic of points, but one too many restaurants fail to do.
We started with velvety chestnut soup, chicken oysters and truffle cream, and warm and raw green asparagus, truffle dressing. Both were what you would expect from a Michelin starred restaurant, not one that had only been open a few months. Both were exquisite. The soup was thick enough, light enough and warm enough to make me want more. The chicken was juicy, and the truffle cream was fluffy and tasty.
The warm asparagus also had truffle, in the form of a dressing. It was subtle and far from overpowering, yet enough to give you a full appreciation of the ingredients. Both entrees were of a very high standard.
Main course was veal shank and lamb. The veal came with gratinéed macaroni with fully-matured comté, vegetables stewed in white sauce, made with juice from the roasting. To read, it doesn’t sound that palatable. To taste, it works perfectly. The gaminess of the veal was offset perfectly by the macaroni and white sauce. It was a rich, decadent dish that delivered a powerful punch on the taste stakes.
The lamb was a Lozère lamb, served with simmered vegetables and a slightly spiced jus. We don’t eat lamb very often, but it seemed to call us from the menu here. We were so glad we did, this lamb was just the perfect pink in the middle, smooth, and rich with a lovely aftertaste.
We had a couple of glasses of wine with our meal. The first was a Champagne Henriot rosé, and the second was a champagne Lenoble. Both were light, fragrant and cleansed the palate perfectly between courses. We would have happily sat there all evening drinking either of those. French wine at its best.
The entire 39V experience was a great one from start to finish. If this is how Frederic Vardon begins his solo career, we’re going to be hearing a lot more about him.
The Bill: £76 per head
