L'Escudella

Under Chef Rémi Poulain's direction, L'Escudella's cuisine represents the best of contemporary French bistronomic cooking—rooted in tradition yet open to creative interpretation. Poulain, who brings experience from several renowned establishments, demonstrates his mastery through a focused approach that prioritizes quality ingredients and precise execution over unnecessary complexity. The menu structure reflects the restaurant's commitment to seasonality and freshness. Rather than offering an extensive carte, the kitchen presents 3-4 carefully crafted options for each course, renewed monthly to showcase the best available products. This approach allows the team to maintain exceptional quality while giving regular guests reason to return frequently for new discoveries. The signature pâté en croûte stands as a testament to the kitchen's technical prowess and respect for French culinary tradition. This house-made specialty, featuring volaille (poultry), foie gras, and pistachios, exemplifies the restaurant's philosophy: taking classic preparations and executing them at the highest level. Other standout preparations include expertly handled seafood like thon mi-cuit (seared tuna) and turbot rôti, as well as premium meats such as filet de boeuf and ris de veau (veal sweetbreads). The cuisine draws subtle inspiration from southwestern France, particularly the Carcassonne region, while remaining firmly anchored in contemporary French technique. Dishes like the "Paris Carcassonne" signature preparation and the use of matured Galician meats demonstrate the kitchen's ability to source exceptional products and treat them with appropriate respect. Vegetarian options receive equal attention, ensuring that all diners can enjoy the same level of culinary excellence. Presentation balances elegance with approachability—dishes arrive beautifully composed but never overly fussy, allowing the quality of ingredients to shine. The kitchen's skill extends to desserts, where creations like the entremets fraise vanille basilic (strawberry vanilla basil entremet) showcase both technical ability and creative flavor combinations. The lunch menu, starting at €42, offers exceptional value for this level of cooking, while the €65 evening dégustation menu provides a more comprehensive exploration of the chef's repertoire. Both options demonstrate that bistronomic excellence need not come with prohibitive pricing, making L'Escudella accessible to a broader audience while maintaining uncompromising standards.