Sitting up at the chef’s table, inches from the action we watched our meal being prepared.

French food can be a little repetitive with similar black board menus offering the same food. This is not to say the food isn’t delicious as most of it is made from scratch with fresh local ingredients. However, we found a neighbourhood, Saint Germain (5 minutes from the Louvre) and here are my two favourite recommendations.

Semilla and Fish La Boissonerie

Both these restaurants (including three others) are owned by New Zealander, Drew Harre and partner Juan Sanchez.

Fish La Boissonerie is famous for its wine bar as well as the food but as Drew pointed out (he was serving wine at Fish the night we went there), Semilla is a modern contemporary bistro with more sophisticated tastes and flavours.

Semilla

We were privileged to observe the meticulous preparation in the kitchen from talented craftsmen.

We opted for the ‘chefs table’ at Semilla, over looking the kitchen and decided on the Carte blance en six etapes (a degestation menu of six courses for 65 euros) so we could try as many of the dishes as possible.

This food is too good not to share so I’m going to take you though the courses as each one was a work of art, witnessing its creation from our fantastic vantage point.

Soup froide de courgette, tomates cerises, caille de chevre

Ceviche de pasteque, herbs, marines, concombres, pickles/sureau

Foie gras poele, mousse d’aubergine grillee, cremeux citron

Saint Pierre, courgettes/petits pois / fevettes, pimenton, chorizo, feta

Cote de boeuf “Normande,” pomme puree, sauce bordelaise

Nagee fraises & rhubarbes, soebet sureau, champagne

It’s absolutely necessary to make a reservation, so do it before leaving home and save disappointment.

Semilla, 54 rue de Seine. 76006 Paris tel 01 43 54 34 50

Fish La Boissonerie, 69 rue de Seine 76006 Paris tel 01 43 54 34 69