Roseval

Phone: 33 9 53 56 24 14
www.roseval.fr

Think there’s only one Brooklyn or downtown LA?  Think again. There’s a young and hip generation of chefs striking off on their own to make their mark on the Paris dining scene.  Since they haven’t hit it big yet, they’re doing it on the cheap in funky, off the beaten path spaces.

In the case of Roseval, it’s more off the beaten path than most in the 20th arrondissement on a random corner with not much else in sight.  Inside, there’s a tiny bar and a few steps up, a tiny dining room with several two tops packed in.  Aside from concrete floors and an exposed wood beam & brick ceiling, there isn’t much in the way of decor.  But it’s not the setting I read so much buzz about: It’s the inventive cooking that chefs Michael Greenwald and Simone Tondo bring to their joint venture, Roseval.

Dinner at Roseval is a four-course tasting menu.  Take it or leave it, though you can pair dinner with whatever wine you wish off of a small, but smart wine list curated by sommelier Ericka Biswell, who just might be the most talented of the bunch.  My issue with Roseval is that it’s not as exciting as all the hype surrounding it.  Everything is good but nothing’s particularly great, like a Rabbit Pate paved with Pistachios alongside Rabbit Kidney, which brought the notion of uncutous to a new level.  On the night of my visit, the kitchen turned out Milk Fed Veal in its own, delicious jus with Radishes and Cauliflower, and a dish dubbed Fruits De Mer – an artful arrangement of Salmon Roe, Char, Shrimp, Seaweed, Spinach and Fava in a frothy fish broth.  To finish, there was Grapefruit Granita with a Meringue Foam and Mango as well as a trio of Aged Cheeses.

Roseval’s out of the way and rough around the edges, but if you want to see “what the cool kids are cooking,” this is a must go.  If you’re looking for something more French with a dose of luxury, this is not your guy.