<a target="_blank" href="https://comice.paris/">Comice</a>

+33 (0)1 42 15 55 70

31 Av. de Versailles

75016 Paris, France

Phone: +33 1 42 15 55
70

BY ANTONIO GALLONI | MARCH 21, 2025

The Food:

Sea Scallop Carpaccio; Fennel, Radish, Confit Citrus, Lime

Handmade Potato Gnocchi Forestiers; Milk Caps, Chanterelles,
Black Trumpet Mushrooms, Vin Jaune Sauce

Carnaroli Risotto with Crab; Leeks, Tarragon, Beurre Blanc
Sauce

Steamed Day Boat Turbot, Béarnaise Mousseline Sauce, Sweet
Potato Ravioli, Spinach, Confit Shallot, Bacon Vinaigrette

French Lobster Poached in Beurre Blanc Sauce, Sweet Potato
Ravioli, Spinach, Confit Shallot, Sauce Américaine.

Pear and Blackcurrant Sorbet, Yogurt Ice Cream, Lime, Mint,
Basil, Champagne Mousse

Chocolate Soufflé with Homemade Vanilla Ice Cream

Winter Citrus Tart, Almond Cream, Plum Seed Ice Cream,
Crystallized Verbena

The Wines:

NV Marie-Noelle
Ledru Brut Grand Cru Ambonnay&nbsp;–&nbsp;90

2017 Domaine
François Raveneau Chablis Butteaux 1er Cru&nbsp;–&nbsp;95

I admit I don’t spend much time in Paris, unfortunately. It
seems like I am always going to or from somewhere else. Over the last few years,
I have started to address this shortcoming. When I asked Vinous readers for
their Paris dining suggestions, Comice popped up on many lists. Naturally, I
was eager to check it out. This recent dinner was nothing short of spectacular.

<img alt="" src="https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1742566039649-VT_Scallop.jpg">Sea Scallop Carpaccio; Fennel, Radish, Confit Citrus,
Lime

Comice is located in the 16th arrondissement. Husband-and-wife
team Noam Gedalof and Etheliya Hananova offer refined cuisine and an exceptional
wine list. Gedalof spent time in numerous kitchens in Canada and the
United States, including a stint at the French Laundry in Yountville. The
couple met in Montréal, where Hananova was working as a sommelier. Eventually,
France beckoned. After a year and a half of working and living in the city, the
pair opened Comice. Critical acclaim arrived almost instantly, all of it richly
deserved.

<img alt="" src="https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1742566076541-VT_Mushrooms.jpg">Handmade Potato Gnocchi Forestiers; Milk Caps,
Chanterelles, Black Trumpet Mushrooms, Vin Jaune Sauce&nbsp;

Comice offers two tasting menus with optional wine pairings
and various supplements. Gedalof’s cuisine is classically French, with a strong focus on
ingredients. We order as much food as we think we can eat, knowing a
return visit might not happen for a while. The ambiance in the cozy dining room
is decidedly informal by Parisian standards. It’s a vibe that feels very
contemporary. Food, wine and service are all top-notch, but there is no
stuffiness here at all. 

<img alt="" src="https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1742567629722-VT_Risotto.jpg">Carnaroli Risotto with Crab; Leeks, Tarragon, Beurre
Blanc Sauce 

Hananova’s wine list is superb, but she had me at, “We also
have a few things that are not on the list, like Raveneau.” Sold. After two
weeks of tasting Bordeaux, Chablis is perfect. Towards the end of the evening,
I spent some time with the list. The emphasis is very much on small, grower
domaines. I was so impressed. Every wine was clearly chosen for a
specific reason that resonates with the owners. It’s exactly what a list should
be. A curated selection, not an encyclopedia. My only critique, if I have one,
is that some producers are represented with multiple entries. In a small list,
that does stand out a bit. Ideally, those slots would be taken by other wines.
At the same time, I fully recognize how much work is required for small,
independent, non-corporate restaurants to source coveted wines and how hard it
is to balance budgets, specifically the amount of money that is available to
invest in a wine program versus sales.

<img alt="" src="https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1742566124503-VT_Turbot.jpg">Steamed Day Boat Turbot, Béarnaise Mousseline Sauce,
Sweet Potato Ravioli, Spinach, Confit Shallot, Bacon Vinaigrette&nbsp;

Etheliya Hananova is the consummate Sommelier, with a
capital S. I admit, from time to time I eavesdrop on her conversations at other
tables as she explains wines by the glass and those available in bottle. Her
passion, knowledge and disarming, engaging personality are so rare in today’s
restaurant world.

We start with Marie-Nöelle Ledru’s NV Brut Grand Cru
Ambonnay. Ledru, now retired, is among the growers who ascended to cult
status some years ago. Her wines are full of character, perhaps a bit too
idiosyncratic for my taste, but interesting, nonetheless. The NV Brut Grand Cru
is a fine introduction to the house style, a Champagne with plenty of the
resonance and breadth that are such signatures of the Pinot-Noir-driven wines
from Ambonnay.

<img alt="" src="https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1742566150893-VT_Lobster.jpg">French Lobster Poached in Beurre Blanc Sauce, Sweet
Potato Ravioli, Spinach, Confit Shallot, Sauce Américaine

Gorgeous plates begin to appear. The Sea Scallop Carpaccio
is pristine. It tastes like it just came out of the ocean. Thin slices of
fennel, radish and confit citrus add freshness and lightness to the scallop. Handmade
Potato Gnocchi play in another realm. Milk caps, chanterelles and black trumpet
mushrooms, dressed in a Vin Jaune sauce, make for a rich winter starter. All
the elements meld into each other seamlessly. Dinner is off to a great start. <img alt="" src="https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1742566179282-VT_Wine.jpg">The 2017 Raveneau Chablis Butteaux 1er Cru is in fine
shape. A touch of decanting, which I always do for younger Chablis, really
allows the aromas, flavors and textures to shine. The 2017 is in the perfect
spot today, as it offers a good deal of complexity yet remains quite vibrant.
Citrus confit, marzipan, white pepper and floral overtones show the textural
resonance of a fine Chablis with bottle age. Clean, bracing mineral notes start
to appear over time. The wine’s freshness makes it an especially fine match for
some of the richer dishes on this menu. Superb.

Carnaroli Risotto from Riserva San Massimo in Pavia, done with
Tourteau crab, leeks, tarragon and a beurre blanc sauce, is a tasty middle
course. The risotto is very French in terms of its richness, most definitely
not a dish for those on a diet! The crab, from the Brittany coast, is
especially delicious. I might have liked the rice cooked a touch less, but that
is a small critique. Here, too, the various components are all beautifully
woven together. 

<img alt="" src="https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1742566205593-VT_Souffle.jpg">Chocolate Soufflé with Homemade Vanilla Ice Cream

For the main courses we opt for the Steamed Day Boat Turbot
from the Brittany coast and Butter Poached Atlantic Coast Lobster, both offered
as supplements. Mains are served with sweet potato ravioli,
spinach, confit shallot and bacon vinaigrette. The Turbot is topped with a
Béarnaise Mousseline (essentially a classic Béarnaise with cream), while the
Lobster is accompanied by a sauce américaine.
I can’t pick a favorite. Both dishes are rich, complex and archetypes of modern
French cuisine.<img alt="" src="https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1742566230200-VT_Tart.jpg">Winter Citrus Tart, Almond Cream, Plum Seed Ice Cream,
Crystallized Verbena 

Cheese looks amazing, but we can’t do it. Desserts, brought
out to share, are right up my alley. The Chocolate Soufflé is perfect. It
is creamy and decadent, not too sweet and absolutely delicious with a touch of
ice cream. Chocolate-lovers might not want to share! We finish with the Winter Citrus
and Almond Cream Tart, which is so refreshing at the end of the meal.

Readers spending time in Paris will want to book a table at
Comice. It’s a terrific spot. And for all our readers who recommended it, thank
you!

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