We thought we had seen everything when it comes to Chinese food in Paris. But that was underestimating the young Quan Zhou, who opened this oddly named restaurant with an ambitious promise: to propose unknown specialties from Shanghai and Sichuan through 100 dishes that are almost impossible to find in Europe, including around twenty that have never been served in France. To rise to this challenge, he hired the talented chef Cao who presided over the kitchens of a luxury hotel in China. He is a real star in China, especially since he earned a distinction similar to the national Meilleur Ouvrier de France. The sparse setting is not much to look at, and the translations of the dishes are sometimes a little rough. But all that simply adds to the folklore and even serves to spark the curiosity and whet the appetite. We have nothing but praise for the si xi kao fou, a block of black tofu served with a sweet sauce (€7.80), the excellent (and spicy!) guo xian sheng xiao chao rou, the sautéed pork belly with pointed pepper (€10.80) or the exceptional (and even spicier!) gan bian shan bei, a delicate fillet of eel sautéed with hot peppers (€14.80). Don’t hesitate to accompany these lovely dishes with an original zhu tong fan, rice with bacon cooked in bamboo, or cui quie ding, spicy eggplant with vinegar. For dessert, you’ll simply have to make do with a selection of mouth-watering Osmanthe pastries. Lunch prix-fixe menus starting at €8.80. Delightful service.
From noon to 2:30pm and 7pm to 11pm Closed for lunch Saturday and Sunday Average price: €25
