Septime: Hard to get but worth the effort

Septime is one of my favorite restaurants in Paris and definitely one of the most visited in 2014. My two bosses were in town from the U.S., and since at least one of them is a food lover, I thoughtfully suggested that one of our lunch meetings should be at Michelin starred restaurant Septime. We had a lovely marketing meeting there – the best meeting we’ve ever had, I dare say.

The lunch menu offers two choices for starter, main, and dessert. For the first course, I chose the tartare of John Dory with lemon. It was fresh and citrusy with soft chunks of Saint Pierre (John Dory).

For the main course, a gorgeous seared onglet of veal (onglet is the same cut as hanger steak), roasted and beautifully caramelized carrots (standard orange & a bright yellow one) with big crystals of sea salt & herbs, and sweet carrot puree.

For the losers at the table who didn’t choose the onglet, a filet of hake, leeks, sautéed swiss chard, & swiss chard purée. Sure, it was good, but paled in comparison to the veal & carrots.

For dessert, we had caramelized orange with honey, Bretagne butter cookies, and honey ice cream. The top of the soft cooked orange has a crispy caramelized shell like the top of a creme brûlée. The other dessert choice was a cheese plate, but the one person who ordered cheese changed his order the second he saw this come out. Rightfully so. And that’s coming from a cheese plate fanatic. Never a question as to whether I will take the cheese course if it’s offered (as a pre-curser to dessert, of course).

Price

The 3-course lunch menu was 26€ when we went, but I believe it’s now up to 30€ – still a steal for this kind of quality.  The full 5-course no choice lunch menu is priced at 55€, same as dinner.

Reservations

It’s nearly impossible to get a reservation, but don’t let that stop you from trying. Reservations open 3 weeks in advance, and you can reserve online (I’ve never been able to find an open spot) or by calling in the morning between 10am-12pm exactly 3 weeks in advance of the date of your choice. Lunch is easier to book than dinner, so consider that if you have the option. It may be hard to get, but it’s a worthy pursuit.

Septime
80 rue de Charonne, 75011
Metro: Charonne (9)
01 43 67 38 29
Closed Saturday & Sunday