As one of the most highly anticipated 2011 restaurant openings in Paris, the new L’Agape Substance restaurant is one of the most exciting new contemporary French dining venues in the city. Tucked away in a sleek, modern and intimate space in Paris’ Saint Germain district and with only 24 seats, the highly talented young chef, David Toutain, brings serious cooking credentials to the table through his time working in some of the world’s best kitchens - no less than Marc Veyrat, L’Arpege, Mugaritz and New York’s Corton. Toutain brings equal measures of creativity, technical precision, surprise and restraint throughout his exquisite evening “carte blanche” tasting menu which showcases the season’s finest ingredients. Like gastronomic ninjas, the black-clad chefs construct exquisite creations in the state-of-the-art open kitchen - be it a perfectly cooked hen's egg served with a lemon verbena foam, fresh almonds and a dash of potent garlic cream; or a melt-in-your-mouth filet of monkfish served in a foamy tonka bean sauce and richly nutty epeautre grains overlaid with a grilled baby green onion. L’Agape Substance serves an a la carte menu and limited degustation menu at lunchtime, however it’s the evening ‘carte blanche’ menu with up to 13 savory courses and 4 dessert courses which is well worth the €99 indulgence.
