PARIS | The mid 2010s were an exciting time for Paris’ food scene, with several openings helping redefine what French food could be. One such restaurant was Le Servan, opened in 2014 by Manila-born, French-Filipina sisters, Tatiana and Katia Levha. Tatiana is the executive chef, Katia the sommelier and general manager. When Serai’s Ross Magnaye (who did a stint in the kitchen at Le Servan back in the day) recommended that I pay the restaurant a visit, you bet that I took note.
Prior to opening Le Servan, Tatiana spent time living in Bangkok and Hong Kong, and had worked at multiple three Michelin starred restaurants. Her menu reflects all of this. French ingredients and technique, laced with strands of Asia – in particular, the Philippines. The result is a restaurant that, 11 years after opening, remains exciting and relevant.
Seasonal, organic, produce is directly sourced from sustainable local producers, and is allowed to shine through each dish. Boudin noir (blood sausage) wontons with sweet chili sauce are the perfect choice to start your meal. The contrast between the soft and crunchy elements, and the interplay of sweet, savoury, salty, a spicy elements tease what’s to come.
Linguine-like strands of raw cuttlefish, topped with tempura perilla leaves, served atop a bed of gelée, Datterino tomatoes, and chilli sauce, is another outstanding dish. Also wonderful, artichoke and sweet onion ravioli doused with nutty burnt Savagnin butter, and topped with a sprinkling of fermented black walnuts.
To finish, roast lamb with seaweed-glazed leeks and black garlic, capped off a brilliant meal. To drink, Katia has put together an excellent selection of interesting bottles from some of France’s most exciting minimal intervention winemakers. Many are available by the glass, and I was particularly impressed by the pairings that I was recommended, with insightful explanation and reasoning that went above and beyond.
Full from a day of eating, meant that I skipped things like veal sweetbread, beef tartare, marinated sardines, fried soft-baked chilli eggs, and dessert. If that’s not a reason to return to Le Servan the next time I’m in Paris, I don’t know what is.
Le Servan
32 Rue Saint-Maur
75011 Paris
France
Telephone: 015 528 5182
E-mail: n/a
Website
Open
Mon – Sat: 12:00pm to 2:00pm, 7:30pm to 10:30pm