Rue Mouffetard, not far from our hotels, is a street that every visitor to our lovely city should explore. It’s a typical Paris market street, with tons of old school charm, lots of boutique to check out and some exceptional restaurants.

At the bottom of the street you’ll find Calice, un wine bar-bistrot-restaurant (well that’s what their website says), which opened this spring (or rather re-opened, see below). And it’s a very agreeable surprise, with a large terrace, delicious and inventive dishes and above all, absolutely epic desserts by Japanese pastry chef Kaori Akazawa.

If the photos of Calice’s terrace seem familiar, it’s probably because this new restaurant has taken the place of another – Le Bel Ordinaire, which we tested for you five years ago. Yes, things change fast in Paris.

Although still owned by the same people, there’s now a more minimalist interior design, a vast selection of wines and an even bigger terrace. And most importantly, the restaurant offers some stunning French cuisine concocted (at least partially) by Japanese chefs.

The terrace is very popular, but the interior’s earth tones and large glass roof suggest that it’ll be cosy inside for half the year, and great to be outside for the other half.

Upon arrival, we were quickly taken to our table on the terrace. Skipping the first course, we ordered:

— courgette flowers fried in batter, with smoked aubergines, ricotta, shiso (Japanese basil) emulsion and an orange condiment.

and

— scamorza pistachio ravioli (in lieu of the gnocchis on the menu) cooked al dente, with pieces of olive, little flowers and a hint of crunchiness.

The presentation for these two delicious dishes was spectacular, very colourful and obviously carefully composed. Even the plates were pretty! An impressive start.

Before dessert, we thought we would treat ourselves to a selection of cheeses, which included some French classics (perhaps even ‘stars’) including Brillat-savarin, Livarot from Normandy, gorgonzola and goat’s cheese, all perfectly matured and served with a small perfectly-salted green salad, plus a small drop of a fruit-flavoured sauce.

And now, ladies, gentlemen and everyone else, it is time for the part of the meal we had been especially looking forward to. We were introduced to Japanese pastry chef Kaori Akazawa via Instagram, and she is an incredible asset for the restaurant, as her creations are really something else.

Just look…

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Une publication partagée par Jérémie Dubois (@mange_passion)

We decided to order:

— a frozen chocolate mousse (new recipe) with jasmine-infused crème anglaise foam, a cocoa biscuit and chocolate crumble, a clever and delicately multi-layered construction, et

— vacherin with a fine round piece of meringue, strawberry sauce and a surprising sorrel ice cream, for which the presentation with slices of strawberry and a sprinkling of small leaves was magnificent.

You really have to order a dessert if you come to this restaurant.

For the quality of the food, we think that Calice is pretty reasonably priced, even if you eat à la carte. Each of our dishes was a revelation, the serving staff is present and helpful, and the wine suggestions are pertinent.

The restaurant also has a fixed price menu available Tuesday-Friday lunchtimes (28€ for two courses, 34€ for three). It’s a great way to sample what’s on offer at a great price point. And even for dinner, it’s quite possible to eat extremely well without breaking the bank.

Let’s hope that Calice has the success it deserves. We will definitely be back…

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Calice (here) is open every day except Mondays from lunch and dinner

Online reservation here

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Une publication partagée par Kazuma Chikuda 竹田 和真 (@chikuda_kazuma)