Disclosure: I was a guest of the property for this meal.
The time has come, friends: I’ve gotten old enough to complain when a restaurant’s lighting is too low and music too loud. These were my first impressions when I walked into the empty dining room of Ardent just a few minutes before 7:30pm on a Tuesday evening. Fifteen minutes later, the restaurant was chock-a-block – and for good reason. The open fire cooking here is on point, and the plates are delicious. (It’s just a shame you can barely see them.)
The staff at Ardent is present, amiable, and informed – and our server delivered the least-irritating “do you know how our menu works?” speech I’ve ever been given. The menu here does indeed require at least a little bit of explanation, seeing as there are two sections each for appetizers and mains. For the former, the plates à partager are the ones, our server explained, that are easier to share, but they’re about the same size – and the same price – as the appetizers designed for one. (Feels a bit like distinction without a difference for me, but sure, why not.)
This smoked vitello tonnato (14) featured on the shareable section, but I dug in all on my own with gusto. The rosy veal was perfectly cooked and boasted a lovely, meaty flavor, and I loved the judicious way it was seasoned with a full-flavored tonnato sauce that didn’t overpower the meat. It was scattered with bits of Parmesan tuile, ultra-crispy croutons, and loads of fresh chives. I couldn’t fault this dish.
The roasted and smoked kabocha squash (13) was presented in the classic appetizer section, and while it was beautifully seasoned, I did have a few qualms here. The first is that the squash was just a hair undercooked; the second is that the dish was served cold, which seemed an odd choice perhaps made to ensure it, like the vitello, could be delivered within moments of being ordered. Flavor-wise, it was delicious: The sections of squash were settled on top of a black sesame-kabocha purée and crowned with grilled radicchio. The balance of sweetness and bitterness was lovely, and the purée, in particular, had an incredible texture. If it had been served hot, it would have been a 10/10.
Mains are similarly divided into two sections. The stars, as it were, are the grilled meats and fishes, which are served in copious portions designed for two – or, frankly, more – to share. These included T-bone, veal rib steak, and Brittany sea bass and are priced per 100 grams. They’re served with seasonal veggies, and they looked (and smelled) lovely. The other entrée section includes plates designed for just one person, and seeing as there were just two of us – and one was a vegetarian – we gravitated happily towards these.
I get the sense that the vegetarian entrée is always some version of a pizzetta – and I’m not complaining. Not only is it a pleasant change from the eternal gnocchi or pasta, but the pizzetta, here, takes full advantage of the open fire cooking that defines the meatier mains. The flatbread base has a consistency more akin to naan or pinsa than pizza dough, with a fluffy texture and a slightly charred exterior. The bread is first grilled on both sides before being piled with seasonal toppings; on our visit, it was a combination of toothsome black chanterelle mushrooms, parmesan béchamel, and lovage purée (20). The flavors here were rich and autumnal and just decadent enough. The only thing it was missing was a bit of acidity to cut through the rich, earthy flavors.
Luckily, we were able to steal some acidity from this plate of pork paired with a delicious slice of confit cédrat. The secreto de cochon (27) was bonkers good, featuring a Chinese five-spice smothered pork steak, a rich, silky carrot purée, and hoisin-glazed Brussels sprouts. The meat was tender and perfectly cooked, and the balance of sweetness, acidity, and a touch of spice was absolutely delicious. Crusty sourdough was an excellent accompaniment.
Desserts in Parisian restaurants typically ain’t what they used to be, seeing as many businesses are forced to cut costs by eliding a pastry chef entirely. But the desserts at Ardent proved exceptional, beginning with this creative grilled pain de Gênes (14) topped with an olive oil emulsion, burnt thyme ice cream, and a lovely crumble generously seasoned with salt.
This chocolate creation (13) was truly a chocoholic’s dream, with blobs of smoked 70% Xoco chocolate cream intermingled with a spicy ginger purée, chunks of chocolate sablée, and, typically, a buckwheat chocolate gavotte our server gamely served on the side so that I could dig in too. That every dessert on the menu features ice cream is no surprise to me; the house-made ice creams are excellent, made with a Pacojet à la minute and served just barely frozen, which accentuates their not-too-sweet flavors. The chocolate sorbet here was exquisite.
Ardent certainly feels like it’s all vibes, at first glance, but trust me: This is serious (and seriously delicious) food. And if you’ve got an iPhone torch, you might actually be able to see it.
Ardent – 40 Rue Richer, 75009