RESTAURANTS • First Word
The Skinny: When Antoine Villard wrote his last assignment at prestigious cookery school Ferrandi, it was about one day opening a restaurant in the 20th arrondissement. After hunkering down here for the pandemic, and hanging out with friends in the neighborhood even longer, Villard finally opened Dandelion with sommelier Morgane Souris last summer.
The Vibe: Villard and Souris picked a century-old neighborhood bistro on rue des Vignoles and decorated it with help from Souris’s architect friend to create their own modern version. The laid-back, undone styling — unfinished walls, exposed brick painted white, simple dark wood furnishings — is cool but not pretentious, and rather romantic when lit by the evening candles.
The Food: Villard has plenty of experience in tasting menus and fine dining (Septime, Restaurant Guy Savoy) but at Dandelion, he’s gone à la carte with a reassuringly tight menu of just four starters and four mains. It’s mostly a contemporary take on French cuisine, exhibited in Villard’s deft use of sauces that add a kick to seasonal ingredients. Asian influences from his time at Double Dragon are also at play. Sweetbreads with a satay and shrimp jus, Meyer lemon, and chilli pepper are a good example of all of the above coming together on the plate. Homemade cavatelli with cavolo nero, Cantabrian anchovies, and taggiasca olives also introduce a bit of the Mediterranean. Desserts are fancier reinterpretations of more down-to-earth French favorites. We couldn’t choose between the old-fashioned café Liégeois and the “chou” version of a tarte Tropézienne, but with only two sweets on the menu, Dandelion makes it easy: get one of each and share.
The Drink: Having found her passion for wine at Parcelles, Souris has put together an excellent list of natural and classic bottles, though there’s also a very good dirty martini (among other cocktails) to get things started.
The Verdict: This elegant neo-bistro is refined enough for special occasions, but shouldn't be saved for them — it's too good to wait until one comes around. With tables booked up two months in advance, reserve now and make whatever evening you manage to get into something special. –Nicola Leigh Stewart
→ Dandelion (20th arr) • 46 Rue des Vignoles • Tue-Thu 19h15-22h30, Fri-Sat 12h-15h, 19h15-10h30 • Book.