Empreinte, 3 rue Saint-Augustin, Paris 2
Chef Jérôme Laurent spent a number of years working in various restaurants of Yannic Alléno, and in 2015 he went to L’Escudella in the 7th arrondissement. In July of this year, he opened Empreinte in the 2nd arrondissement, about two block west of the Bourse de Commerce.
It’s a narrow street despite being not far from other streets that attract tourists, today at lunch it seemed to be all Parisians walking by and in the restaurant.
The interior is modern, well-lighted, functional, and somewhat lacking in character. It has well-spaced tables.
The restaurant is built around the concept of quality seasonal ingredients.
There is a three-course menu at lunch (except holidays) and four- and five-course menus. The wine list is good for a starting restaurant (there’s generally a big cash problem for starting up a wine list) and fairly-priced. Florian Laurent, the chef’s brother, is in charge of the front of the room, and with his detailed and enthusiastic description of wines, I have no doubt that the already good wine list will grow into something even better as the restaurant continues.
We chose the three-course lunch menu at 39€.
L took a glass of white wine from Corsica, Domaine Vico, which she liked very much. I am taking some medication which doesn’t go well with alcohol, so I passed.
We started with three amuse-bouches. The yellow on the spoon was corn (an ingredient that is showing up a lot in Paris this fall) with barbecue sauce. It had good corn flavor but was perhaps a little strange in its gelatinous texture. The white circle was goat cheese and other elements that I didn’t hear. It was light and refreshing. But the star was the cone, made with was Jerusalem artichoke with Granny Smith apple and again other elements I didn’t catch.
The first course consisted of various ripe tomatoes with a foam of tomato water (another popular ingredient this fall), basil, and some bits of basil ice cream. This was a very flavorful dish and a reminder that autumn is just beginning, with some of the bounties of summer still around.
With the main course, we are fully into autumn. This was a very tender (cooked sous vide) piece of veal presented in its own juices and with wild mushrooms. The flavors were subtle and harmonious.
Dessert was chocolate ice cream with some espelette in it and a chocolate and caramel tart with hazelnuts. Both supplied richness but also lightness and finesse at the same time.
Very good mignardises:
And the bill:
This was a truly outstanding lunch. Jérôme Laurent creates dishes with finesse and harmony, and for 39€, you’re going to be very hard-pressed to come up with a value equal to this elsewhere in Paris. I strongly urge you go at your earliest opportunity, and I am already thinking of my return to the restaurant.
Empreinte
3, rue Saint-Augustin, 75002 Paris
Tuesday-Saturday lunch and dinner
Métro: Bourse, Quatre Septembre, Richelieu-Drouot, Opéra