21 January 2024
I’m a little sad my Paris long weekend is coming to an end. Despite some dining and local hiccups, this was my best visit to this city over the decades. A wonderful Sunday afternoon, and now I arrive for dinner at Magma.
This was the first dinner place I booked when I began planning this trip, and the one I have the most confidence in amongst my three dinner choices – which, sadly, have been poor so far. The stupid evening at Rooster started this sad trend, and last night’s never-ending trial at Perception made me question my own perception. But for some reason, I was very optimistic tonight. Maybe because I’m just in a really good mood?
I got there and was seated at a nice table that looked into the kitchen, to be able to see Chef Ryuya Ono and his team work. Excellent service to start, and they did say the pairing will start immediately. No half hour wait tonight as a nice wine from Alsace was poured for my amuse selection and the first course (a double pouring, they noted).
Although the soup was nice, the nibbles really did it – especially the shrimp in a basket hidden in the back. Lovely flavours, accentuated by the veggie water we get to pour into it. Delicious.
Then a really good oyster as well, the broth being especially lovely. A good start! Then we have some sea bass.
Far, far better than last night’s version under that glow-in-the-dark thing. I could wrap the tasty morsels in these leaves and they were perfect together, that touch of bitterness with the vegetable and the sweet-ish fish. Really excellent. I am already starting to think my optimism earlier was not misplaced. Then with a pour of an unfiltered sparkling also from Alsace, we have some tartare.
Oh this is lovely, and the parsnip did not clash here with the meat unlike the tartare dish I had at Rooster the other night. Delicious, with very good quality old cow, decisively different from the veal used at Rooster. Awesome. Then a pour of a good natural wine from Provence and we have a very unique dish…
So this is abalone and pigs ears in a green tea sauce. Well, several of my favourite things in one dish. I though the pigs ears could have been thicker cut, but maybe that’s for local sensibility. But the abalone is utterly fantastic, as good as some of the ones I’ve had in Tokyo. A unique and delicious dish!
This has been a very good dinner so far, abating the trend of bad dinners! And we’re barely into the second hour of dining, just to show you how proper pacing can make a tasting menu work or not. Chef Ono was very conscious of where each table was at, far more active in perceiving than Perception. Now a pour of a beautiful wine from Jurançon and we have turbot.
Again, with many of my favourite elements, the turbot is covered by Brussels sprouts. Lovely flavour combination, and the fish was absolutely delicious. The sauce adds a little kick to the combination. Creative yet delicious, which is a perfect description of Chef Ono’s cooking.
Now for a palate cleanser, it’s caviar on horseradish ice. I actually like the stuff under more as I’m not a big caviar afficionado, but this was also delicious. I’m a little sad now that the dinner is coming towards the end, and it’s not even 9.30pm yet. A pour of a fine red from Pauillac and we have the last savoury course.
Oh my goodness is this hay-smoked venison good. The sauce wasn’t necessary for the absolutely divine meat, but it worked perfectly with the strong endive. A lovely last savoury dish, which again made me a little sad because this has been so good, the dinner I have been waiting for after two busts!
I had to decline the cheese course as I was getting very full from this awesome dinner. I should have, as it was my last night in Paris, but sadly I know my body when it tells me it’s been good but enough.
The first dessert was sorbets with a drizzle of soy caramel, very interesting. The citrus and pineapple played off each other quite well too. Then the last pour of a non-sweet (yes!) wine from Arbois from my excellent sommelier, who (unlike at Rooster) complemented the entire excellent service staff perfectly. This FOH rates as one of the best I’ve ever seen in Paris!
The second dessert was interesting, from the yoghurt ice cream to the chocolate, as well as olive that pushed the combination to the finish line. This was such an excellent dinner, I’ll be dreaming of it on the long flight home tomorrow…
I wasn’t quite done, as they brought out some closing treats. So I had some coffee and some eaux de vie (yes, plural) before thanking the excellent staff and Chef Ono before heading out into the warmish evening for the Metro back towards my hotel.
My Paris long weekend closed on a high, which is certainly a delightful change. Goodness, I may have to consider coming back to Paris sooner than later!
If you want a solid tasting menu in Paris, creative yet delicious, Magma is the place! Highly recommended!
Magma
9 Rue Jean-Pierre Timbaud
Paris, France