Kùkù, a hybrid cuisine between South America and the Mediterranean

To be perfectly honest, at the announcement of this new table, we expected an umpteenth cut and paste of trendy Latino fusion cuisine and deco bling. To our great (and good) surprise, Kùkù is an address that has conquered us in every respect. Starting with its setting. François Wapler (the architect of all the Buddha Bars on the planet) depicts a rich and colorful universe that transports us to South America without leaving Paris. We also like the bar and the signature cocktail menu designed by Matthias Giroud, the mixologist of the group Buddha Bar (bis!), around the earth, the air, the water, or the fire, like the crazy “Spice Travel” (18 €), composed of Ketel One vodka infused with pepper and cedar and hand-crafted passion and ginger soda. The house’s founders, Loïc Berardengo and Zoltan Paterne, who ran some of the hottest establishments in Paris, also joined forces with Julien Gasperi, a talented chef who worked for 15 years in starred houses in the capital. The latter prepares, here, a beautiful cuisine with a hybrid identity, between South America and the Mediterranean: tuna ceviche with coconut milk and mango (21 €), remarkable fresh lobster pasta (44 €) bathed in a heady bisque with Isigny cream,  beautiful tatin pear with tonka beans, pear gel and yogurt ice cream (16 €). What good stuff! The menu also offers beautiful pieces to share, such as the shoulder of lamb with spices cooked at low temperature then snacked (110 €) or the beef rib of Galicia matured 45 days (160 €). As a bonus, the service is charming and efficient. Lunch menus at 27 € and 32 €.

• 12-3pm and 8-2pm
• Closed Saturday noon and Sunday
• Average price: 75 €.