åke

The cuisine at Åke represents a distinctive culinary voice in Paris's dining landscape, one that prioritizes vegetables without excluding omnivores and emphasizes seasonality above all else. This is market-driven cooking at its finest, where the daily selection of produce from responsible local farms dictates the menu rather than the other way around.

The kitchen's approach to vegetables demonstrates genuine creativity and respect for ingredients. Dishes like the tonnato au brocoli reimagine classic preparations with a vegetarian focus, while grilled courgette receives treatment that elevates it beyond simple preparation. These aren't afterthought vegetable dishes or token options for non-meat eaters—they're the stars of the show, crafted with the same care and technique typically reserved for protein-centric cuisine.

When meat and fish do appear on the menu, they're treated with equal thoughtfulness. The merlan (whiting) arrives en papillote, a classic French technique that preserves moisture and concentrates flavor. French meat is sourced with the same attention to quality and sustainability as the vegetables, ensuring that every element on the plate meets the restaurant's exacting standards.

The cooking style balances French technique with Swedish sensibility—there's a lightness and clarity to the preparations that allows individual ingredients to shine. Dishes are composed rather than complicated, with each element serving a clear purpose. The kitchen demonstrates particular skill with textures and temperatures, creating plates that engage multiple senses.

Small plates and sharing-style portions dominate the menu, with dishes priced between 7 and 19 euros. This format encourages exploration and conversation, allowing diners to sample multiple preparations throughout the evening. The gnocchi showcases the kitchen's pasta-making skills, while petits pois en crème demonstrates the French talent for transforming simple ingredients into something sublime.

Desserts maintain the same ingredient-focused philosophy. The verveine panna cotta brings herbal complexity to a classic Italian preparation, while the gâteau-mousse au chocolat offers rich satisfaction without heaviness. Even the coffee receives special attention, roasted to custom specifications that complement the overall dining experience.

The food at Åke ultimately reflects a philosophy that quality ingredients, treated with respect and skill, need little embellishment. It's cooking that feels both contemporary and rooted in tradition, vegetable-forward yet satisfying, simple in concept yet sophisticated in execution.