Paris Insights - The Restaurant Review

Kokoro

posted December 23, 2024

36, rue des Boulangers

75005 Paris

Phone: 01.44.07.13.29

Metro Station: Cardinal Lemoine (Line 10)

Type of cuisine: French/Japanese

Days & hours of operation: Mon 7:15 p.m. - 11:00 p.m. Tues to Fri noon - 2:00 p.m. and 7:15 p.m. - 11:00 p.m.

Credit card: Visa, MasterCard, American Express

Kokoro stands on rue des Boulangers, a discrete side street in the Latin Quarter.  According to the Internet, the owners are a French man and a Japanese woman.

The restaurant has two levels: a ground floor with limited seating and a more spacious upper floor.  I entered without a reservation at lunchtime on Tuesday and was offered a table across from the open kitchen on the ground floor.  There, I could watch the two owners and one of their staff go about their work.

The menu
The restaurant offers a fixed-price menu at lunchtime:  two courses (starter + main or main + dessert) for 22€ or three courses for 28€.  There was a choice of three dishes for the main course and two for the dessert.

The starter
I ordered Bouillon de crabe as a starter and received a small bowl containing crab bouillon, a dark, salty, and surprisingly flavorful broth.  The little spoon provided wirh the soup was too small to use, so I simply drank the rich-tasting liquid directly from the bowl.  Served with grilled shiitake mushrooms, pickled daikon (a radish), and a slice of pork terrine, the bouillon was a satisfying start to the meal.

The main course
For the main course, I selected the Fish of the Day — a thick slice of trout prepared with fig oil.  Cooked pink and served with puréed potato, crispy and smoky white cauliflower, and pickled red cabbage, the fish was also salty.  I found it to be exquisitely flavorful!. 

The bread
Fresh slices of country bread cut from a small wheel-shaped loaf were served alongside in a bread basket.

The beverage
For the beverage accompaniment, I requested a white mineral-tasting wine and received a 12cl-glass of Blaye Côtes de Bordeau Sauvignon sémillon Château Haut-Meneau 2023.  The golden-colored wine was dry, minerally, and sharp on the tongue…exactly what I wanted!  It went well with my fish dish.

The dessert
For dessert, I ordered Potimarron renversé.  I was not sure what this would be and was delighted when it was served:  it was a pumpkin custard measuring roughly 3½” in diameter and topped with sugar syrup and a dense dollop of whipped cream.  It was accompanied by a long rectangular cookie. Simply delicious! 

The bill
The bill for one, including the three-course fixed-price menu, a glass of wine, and an espresso, came to 38.50€.

The service
The service was friendly and helpful.

The ambience
The restaurant is small.  No music played over the sound system. 

There is a bare stone wall to the right of the entrance to the dining room.  The ceiling is painted white and has spot lighting.  I sat comfortably in a niche under the staircase across from the kitchen.  A party of seven, seated at a nearby table, conversed in quiet tones. 

The menu is in French and English.  The owner speaks English.

The owner told me that the restaurant can accommodate a customer in a wheelchair with advance notice.  Wheelchair acess to the WC, upstairs, is not possible.

Travelers to Paris who enjoy French fare made with Japanese ingredients will enjoy coming to Kokoro for lunch or dinner.