Pierre Touitou has made a name for himself on the Parisian dining scene with his innovative, fine dining approach. After coming up the ranks at the prestigious Plaza Athénée, Toitou’s career brought him to Vivant (which I loved), and in 2024, he opened his own 19 Saint-Roch in the heart of the 1st arrondissement. Here, steps from the Louvre, he brings a creative, innovative spirit far more characteristic of the trendy 11th to the heart of the city, and thanks to fine dining touches to the service, he manages to deliver quite a few more out-there, fusion creations in a way that even Boomers will find easy to swallow.
The open kitchen is the cornerstone of the vibey, minimalist spot; even our table was set so that we sat side-by-side with a bit of a view. But bar seating is definitely the move, if you can swing it: Not only will you get to watch the brigade crafting all of the delicious, beautiful plates, but the show will be a bit of a distraction from the fairly long wait between courses.
Then again, the wait may have something to do with the style of this menu, which is divided into four categories rather than three. Amuse bouches on the night of our visit included oyster with salmon roe and yuzukosho (9), beets in sweet and sour sauce with rice powder (5), and endives with winter miso (4).
We opted for what seemed like the cheffiest of the selection, beginning with the Lo Bak Go (12), a staple of the menu. Here, the traditional Cantonese radish cakes are revisited almost like Marseillais panisses and served with a green pepper mayonnaise that isn’t shy with spice. This was one of the tastiest dishes we tried, and I particularly loved the presentation, which was both beautiful and helped each of these little planks of radish maintain its crispiness.
I was equally impressed with the pork tongue skewer (7) which was glazed for a touch of sweetness and seasoned with umami-rich colatura.
The meat itself was so gelatinous and rich that it basically melted: no chewing required.
The aforementioned pacing issue meant that the hors d’oeuvres came well before our appetizer, which was comparatively underwhelming and eye-wateringly expensive. White asparagus (25) was served with with ricotta, small basque peppers, and sorrel, accompaniments that did little to elevate this luxury ingredient. The portion was also pretty diminutive for the price. (Though do note that the photograph shows a half-portion: Seeing as there were two of us, the kitchen opted to divide the dish onto two, perfectly plated plates, and I will admit that was a nice touch.)
They did the same with our main dish, which we also opted to split. Here, perfectly pearlescent Breton turbot (46) was served with a jumble of winter greens dressed with a fish soup-inspired emulsion. The pairing here was absolutely delicious and really showcased the quality of the ingredients.
Each main dish comes with a real side dish – in this case, a saucer of lentils dressed like a bouillabaisse and topped with tender, thinly sliced squid.
For dessert, we considered the play on a black forest cake (18) before ultimately deciding, on the recommendation of our server, to order the ile flottante (16)… and this despite it being perhaps my least favorite classic French dessert. I’m so glad we did. The custard here is infused with smoked Basque pepper, and a moreish sesame praline was drizzled liberally over the airy meringue. Alongside the one from Le Cheval d’Or, it was perhaps my favorite ile flottante I’ve ever tried.
The prices at this restaurant are certainly elevated, but so too is the service and the quality on offer. I’d argue that you get what you’re paying for, particularly given the central address, though were I to return, I’d skip the starters and stick with the more creative hors d’oeuvres, generous plats, and tasty desserts.
Le 19 Saint-Roch – 19, rue Saint-Roch, 75001