Safre, a new chef and new intentions
On the Place de la Synagogue, a restaurant proudly displays its name in golden letters: Safre. A name chosen with care, since in old French it referred to a gluttonous lover of good food. We cross the threshold and discover a décor that combines wood and stone, creating an atmosphere halfway between chic and bon franquette.
Garnished puff pastry
We take our seats at our table, bathed in sunlight. On the menu, chef Oscar Dessolis offers seasonal dishes with appealing titles. A difficult choice for starters: we opt for the vol-au-vent after having hesitated for a long time over the pâté en croûte de gibier and the raviole stuffed with shrimps. The puff pastry shell, golden brown to perfection, encloses a savory filling of sweetbreads, mallard duck and button mushrooms. Bound with a full-bodied poultry jus and accompanied by melting baby onions, this is a remarkable first suggestion that combines originality and technical precision.
For the main courses, venison, guinea fowl, scallops and Arctic char give way to the vegetarian proposal, soberly called “Corn”, which we accompany with orange wine. The plate is colorful and the fruity aromas tickle the nose… A real revelation around a play of textures composed of grilled polenta, both crunchy and melting, a corn tempura that reveals a subtle popcorn flavor, and a corn cream that releases all the vegetable’s aroma. To counterbalance, piquillo vinegar adds a touch of acidity, sublimated by a cranberry vegetable juice that stands out for its sweetness. Proof that vegetarian cuisine, when well executed, can rival, and sometimes even surpass, a meat dish.
Poached pear
Time for desserts. On one side, a café gourmand with a selection of the pastry chef’s mignardises: meringue topped with white chocolate cream, chocolate sablé filled with salted butter caramel, lemon tartelette and chocolate sorbet. A generous offering that’s sure to please. On the other, a pear, delicately poached then sliced, presented in a rosette around a sablé, is accompanied by a crème fraîche with chocolate dulce and crème de cassis. An effective marriage between the acidity of the blackcurrant and the sweetness of the pear, a fitting conclusion to this meal.
With a short but to the point menu, Safre has established itself as a fine reference. With a sober atmosphere at lunchtime, the restaurant transforms itself into a discreet, hushed hideaway in the evening. Thanks to his varied, seasonal cuisine, Oscar Dessolis is guiding the restaurant into the fine days of gourmet dining.
