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Ellsworth

Ellsworth restaurant in Paris | parisbymouth.com

Ellsworth has had many different iterations since it opened, but all have been delicious. Their most popular dish from the early days – the fried chicken – remains on the menu in small plate size among a changing roster of seasonal dishes. Braden Perkins and Laura Adrian, the duo behind (temporarily closed) Verjus, are raising most of the vegetables and eggs for Ellsworth at their farm outside of Paris, and chef Hanz Gueco is doing incredible things with these fresh deliveries. A recent springtime meal started with white asparagus with rhubarb, smoked ricotta and lardo, and ended with an elderflower and savarin cake with strawberry sorbet and a dusting of elderflowers. Nearly-forgotten French classics reappear at Ellsworth with a twist – I’ve loved wintertime Gueco’s take on duck à l’orange served with a sort of crêpe Suzette, as well as his springtime recreation of trout coulbiac with vadouvan rice and leeks. The wine list, organized by Adrian, is well-priced and contains treasures. A great place for dinner near the Louvre or Palais Royal.

34 rue de Richelieu, 75001
Open for dinner Wednesday through Saturday
Reservations online or at +33 1 42 60 59 66


OUR PHOTOS OF ELLSWORTH


IN OTHER WORDS

Eater (2017) ranks Ellsworth among their 38 Essential Paris Restaurants, especially when you haven’t planned in advance. “You can sit at the bar and tuck into some great nibbles without the hassle of making a reservation. Go early and don’t miss the buttermilk fried chicken; the quality of French fowl hits this comfort-food classic out of the park.”

David Lebovitz (2017) includes this among his Favorite Restaurants in Paris, calling Ellsworth “excellent contemporary cooking with well-sourced and market-based ingredients. From the team that created the popular Verjus restaurant, reserve in advance at this popular restaurant. The casual, friendly vibe makes it a great place for lunch or dinner.”

The Infatuation (2016) says “It’s not exactly modern Parisian cooking like you might expect from some of the other hot spots in town, but instead has a very vegetable heavy menu that also happens to feature an incredible fried chicken. Get it on your Paris Hit list.”

TimeOut (2015) loves “the long narrow space, clean but cool décor, short enticing menu and zippy soundtrack” and says “we swooned for earthy chargrilled broccoli with anchovy butter and parmesan, for gorgeous nuggets of chicken fried in fermented milk, and for delicate sea bream ceviche with nectarines, coriander and almonds – the whole enhanced by a bold hand with the chilli.”

Table à Découvert (2015) “Du coup, je ne peux pas ne pas prendre de dessert, surtout qu’il y en a un qui me plaît plus que tout dans son intitulé : glace au malt, sorbet au chocolat, espuma de café, biscuit au lait vanillé. Je crois que je pourrais retourner chez Ellsworth dans les prochaines heures juste pour ce dessert… Chocolat noir, malt, café, les saveurs sont en osmose et avec ces éclats de biscuit très beurré et un peu salé qui là aussi croustille énormément, c’est terrible.”

Patricia Wells (2015) advises that “the evening menu, which offers nearly a dozen substantive little tastes, a cheese selection and two desserts to choose from, is perfect for a quick snack or a multi-course feast, depending upon one’s appetite of the moment. The food is generally full of bright, vibrant flavors, well-seasoned (although at times a little heavy handed with the salt), and cleverly conceived, with no theme that screams ‘you’ve seen this all before too many times.'”

Lost in Cheeseland (2015) “Nouveau Americana fare and the same fine provenance one has come to expect and appreciate at Verjus. Beautiful produce, high quality fish and meats, homemade Sourdough bread, homemade butter, homemade ricotta, yogurt and sausage and an accommodating kitchen for shareable small plates.”

Alexander Lobrano (2015) calls Ellsworth “a puckish up-market take on a great North American bar-food dish and the best fried chicken in Paris… Great wine list, a good looking room, fair prices, and a fun crowd. Don’t miss this one.”

Le Figaro (2015) “En cuisine, en salle et côté cave, un jeune trio venu d’ici et d’ailleurs active ce corridor de charme dans l’élan des nouveaux codes de goût et d’époque: vins contemporains, recettes de fine gamberge, assiettes à partager.”

The New York Times (2015) says that in contrast to the tasting menu at Verjus, “Ellsworth proposes a simple fixed menu for lunch (two courses for just 18 euros) and a selection of small plates for dinner. ‘We found that people don’t want to sit down to a tasting menu every single week and we wanted to attract more regulars, so we tried for something more approachable,’ Perkins says.”

Le Fooding (2015) “Ellsworth accueille une clientèle anglo-saxonne acquise à sa cause autour de tables marbrées avec une cuisine franco-américaine joliment dépeignée par Hannah, jeune cheffe canadienne. A la carte: poulet frit au lait ribot comme dans le Kentucky, servi avec du chou chinois pimenté; boulettes de canard parfumées à la coriandre, accompagnées de carottes croquantes; peau de poulet frite travaillée en nacho, nappé de tomme de Savoie fondue et de crème pimentée; salade de choux de Bruxelles crus, avec pointes de menthe et épeautre; ceviche de bar de ligne au maïs soufflé, sur fond de jus d’agrumes ; beignets de pomme avec dulce de leche revisité au sel de Maldon…”

1 thought on “Ellsworth”

  1. We just had the worst meal at Ellsworth. The food was terrible, the service was terrible. So disappointed that we wasted a night in Paris at that restaurant.

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