Hectar, rue Catherine de la Rochefoucauld, Paris 9 (note: Hectar is now named Benjamin Schmitt Restaurant after its chef, but otherwise is the same)
Hectar opened last spring and has been on my list of new places to try since then, but I didn’t get around to it until an evening in late August.
The chef, Benjamin Schmitt, has worked in a number of places, including Le Meurice, Taillevent, L’Oiseau Blanc, the Hotel Peninsula, and in a less formal setting, Office on the rue Richer. He is originally from the Rhône Valley and, unusually for chefs, has a genuine interest in wine and so selected the very good wine list.
The restaurant is in two storefronts on the increasingly-trendy rue Catherine de la Rochefoucauld, not far from the Musée de la Vie Romantique, and a little bit further from the Musée Gustave Moreau.
The interior is clean, light, and airy with good spacing between the tables.
The carte for the evening we ate there.
For aperitif and with the meal, we took a splendid Bourgogne rouge from Fanny Sabre, who increasingly seems to be headed for stardom. From the wonderful 2022 vintage, this wine is proof that you don’t have to spend big to enjoy really good wine.
L began with the excellent soupe au pistou, with the accompanying focaccia on the right in the picture.
I began with the quail with asparagus and mushrooms. The quail was especailly notable for its juiciness. The whole dish worked very well.
Next, L took the gnocchis in vin jaune which she loved, and as you can see, it was beautifully presented.
I took the pork with the grilled eggplant, and it was delicious, not boring as pork can sometimes be.
For dessert, we split the pavolva of strawberries and rhubarb, and it was everything we could have wanted — light, delicious, and refreshing.
The bottom line for two starters, two mains, a shared dessert, and a bottle of wine was 160€.
This is an excellent address, and one that I look forward to returning to.
Hectar
41-43 rue Catherine de la Rochefoucauld, Paris 75009
Tél: 01 42 81 00 17
https://schmittrestaurant.fr/#restaurant
Tuesday-Saturday lunch and dinner
Métro: Saint-Georges, Pigalle