Géosmine
Because when else are you going to eat udder?
Paris now has a lot of restaurants serving modernist tasting menus. Géosmine, in the old Botanique space, is the newest entry in this category. Chef Maxime Bouttier spent two years at Mensae before opening Géosmine, a name that refers to the chemical compound secreted by soil bacteria when they produce spores. With a name like that, you know you’re in for something weird.
The strangest thing on the menu is Bouttier’s signature dish: mamelle. Who among us has ever tasted teat? I, for one, was (udderly) fascinated. We were a little nervous to slice into the udder, but it was ultimately a mild experience - a bit like eating caviar and cream off a slice of thick bologna.
More exciting was this round of amuses bouches. Géosmine nailed the opening with this collection of warm rillette balls, smoked eel tartelette with pistachio sabayon, and charcoal feuilleté with black garlic cream. I now believe that all rillettes should be balled, fried, and served on a bone.
After that, a dish of mozzerella with kalamata olive, melon and sarriette felt refreshing.
The next dish featured lobster with plum, kasha and blackberry. It was enjoyable to eat, but the lobster was completely overpowered by the fruit.
We loved the Padron peppers with guindillas and cecina (dried beef), but I rolled my eyes at what came next: beef with “broken Béarnaise”, crispy onions and potatoes.
The aged beef was delicious, and who doesn’t love crispy onions? But this intentionally broken Béarnaise sauce, which consisted of oil + gloop, was pretty gross to look at.
After the udder came a sort of salad course with yuzu sorbet, lettuce, oyster, and nori. I really didn’t want any of these textures together.
The meal recovered with a series of very good desserts and mignardises: apricot with almond & chili, chocolate with vanilla, sea salt & praline, beetroot marshmallow and a dark chocolate & coffee truffle.
When I look back at this dinner, it feels very hit or miss. But I can tell you that in the moment, we were loving the experience. That has a lot to do with service - the waitress and sommelier were adorable. If they had been less charming, I might have resented the dishes that didn’t come together.
Here’s the thing about experimental restaurants - there are almost always a few misses. I like chefs who push the boundaries and I don’t expect perfection. Having said that, I want a few more hits for these prices.
At dinner, Géosmine offers 8 courses for 109€ or 11 courses for 139€. We sprung for the lengthier, pricier tasting menu because it included Bouttier’s signature dish of udder. So was it worth it? Hard to say.
If you can swing those prices and enjoy experimental cuisine and excellent wine pairings, then sure. Géosmine is good, and will probably get even better over time. But Le Chateaubriand, in the same category and neighborhood, has a better “hit rate” for less money.
GÉOSMINE
71 Rue de la Folie Méricourt, 75011
Open Thursday-Monday for lunch & dinner
Closed Tuesday & Wednesday
Reservations online or at +33 9 78 80 48
We ate at Geosmine recently and had a terrific dinner. Good service, fun and friendly. With a helpful attitude, including on a substitution. Set menu. Everything was delicious, some dishes outstanding. Including a beef with cabbage small plate. Clever combinations across the board. Good wine list, great sommelier. Best chocolate dessert ever.