LE MUSELET (9TH ARR., PARIS, FRANCE)

Le Muselet
48 Rue Saint Georges
75009 Paris
Le Muselet
Tel: +33 01 85 15 27 00
Cuisine: French
$$$$ ($50+)
Sat, 09/10/2016, 8:00pm reservation
     (5 Piglets)

Le Muselet, which refers to the outer metal covering of the champagne bottle cap, is a cute restaurant nestled in the 9th arrondissement. The interior reminds you that you've stepped foot into a champagne cellar, hence the name Le Muselet. The restaurant houses only 20 or so seats led by chef Satoshi Nakamura. 

The dinner menu is actually only prix fixe, offering a four course or seven course menu. They also offer the choice of a champagne pairing if you so choose. We chose the five course menu. 

The menu

The interior

The interior

The champagne to start with. It was delicious and refreshing. 

COURSE ONE: AMUSE BOUCHE ONE: Duck crepe with Raclette Powder and Dates filled with Cheese. This was absolutely delicious for the first bite. It was light and the crepe had the perfect texture. It was a burst of flavor all rolled into one. 

COURSE ONE: AMUSE BOUCHE TWO: Pumpkin Mousse with Vanilla Powder and Olive Oil. I actually really loved this dish. It was a little bit sweet and creamy, but I loved it regardless. It  was smooth and downright scrumptious. 

MY FAVORITE DISH. COURSE TWO: Octopus Risotto. OMG! I freakin love this dish. I think from my whole Paris trip, this one by far, one of my favorites. Why? I feel its so difficult to cook octopus. Most of the time I try octopus, people overcook it and it tends to be rubbery. This was the most delectable octopus I ever had. It was perfectly cooked and the "risotto" (made with corn) wasn't too heavy and complemented the octopus well. 

COURSE THREE: Mackerel with French Mushroom and Raspberry Puree. The fish was cooked perfectly. Normally, I don't like this fish for its strong flavor, but this was good. There was a bit of sweetness with the sauce that accompanied it. Overall, a good dish. 

COURSE FOUR: Catfish with Zucchini and Seaweed Butter. Who would've thought I would like catfish? It was definitely tasty and the zucchini added freshness to the dish. The catfish was tender and flaky. I definitely enjoyed the whole dish and wish catfish always tasted this way.  

COURSE FIVE: Duck Two Ways with Onion and Duck Sauce and Szechuan Pepper. It was definitely duck season. This was the third night in a row we had duck as a main dish. The duck was tender and perfectly cooked. The meatball was delicious as well. I appreciated the Asian influence on this dish. 

COURSE SIX: Cheese. The cheese course consisted of comte and something similar to a Brie accompanied by Apple holly and nuts. It was delicious and I finished every bite of this cheese course. 

COURSE SEVEN: Dessert: Meringue with Raspberry Sorbet with Vanilla Mousse. The dessert was delicious but wasn't amazing. I do like the meringue and the sorbet mellowed out the sweetness. It was light, which was a good way to end the meal. 

Overall, Le Muselet was one of my favorite restaurants during my trip to Paris. The restaurant's flavor was on par to L'Astrance without the price of paying 200+ euros. The chef is Japanese, but raised in France, so there were Asian influences similar to L'Astrance. I would definitely recommend anyone visiting Paris to hit up this restaurant. 

Notable Dishes: Octopus and Duck Two Ways