Vice Versa

This is France's first restaurant devoted to the traditional Japanese tea ceremony. Cha-kaiseki actually refers to the meal that is served with the tea; Yuichiro Akiyoshi is the chef's name. Tucked away behind an unassuming-looking wooden façade, the restaurant seats just 16. White miso soup and carrot mochi; rice-straw-grilled bonito; soya chawanmushi and sesame tofu; charcoal-grilled gilthead seabream, bottarga and Japanese butterbur tempura; mackerel sushi, mushroom broth and soba: ingredient-led cuisine centred on freshness and prepared in view of guests by the chef, assisted by the chef's

A Canadian couple, Noam Gedalof and Etheliya Hananova, run this fine Parisian restaurant. The chef draws his inspiration from Gallic traditions, to which he adds a modern spin. His mission is to highlight seasonal ingredients with the utmost care, tailoring the single set menu to the produce of the moment. The flavoursome results are to be sampled in a natty modern interior with vivid blue walls hung with paintings by contemporary artists. The cordial front-of-house team is directed by Hananova, who also welcomes diners in a manner befitting the Canadian reputation for warm hospitality!

After two years at Duende in Nîmes, Masaki Nagao is back on a pilgrimage to the capital as he breathes new life into this establishment. In the wake of Vantre and Le Clarence, the Japanese chef signs a crisp, modern, subtly inventive Gallic repertory guided by the seasons. He avows a weakness for briny shellfish, that he adds raw, cooked and in broth to structure his culinary score. You may sample a veggie composition on a carrot, radish and turnip theme, laced with a shellfish consommé, or sashimi of first-class scallops flanked by pear, smoked ricotta and Castelfranco. More concise menu at l

Frédéric Anton presides over the fortunes of this emblematic restaurant on the second floor of the Eiffel Tower, accessible by a private lift. The magic of this location 125m up from ground level instantly bewitches diners, who are further captivated by the high-flying cuisine. Every day, the teams pull out all the stops to elevate blue-ribbon produce and deliver delicate, perfectly judged dishes boasting flavour combinations that are always on point. For example, a sublime soufflé of scallops with a Dieppoise sauce and Oscietra caviar, or grenobloise-style caramelised calf sweetbread, perfect

"The best cookbook ever written was by Mother Nature herself," according to Alain Passard. His green philosophy is de rigueur more than ever in his cuisine, which is now entirely free of animal protein. The chef who fetes fruit and flowers never feels more at home than when in one of his three kitchen gardens in the west of France, where his twin vocations of cook and gardener meet. He heads there for inspiration and to explore culinary possibilities, coming back with recipes as accomplished as his "sushi fantaisie" or beechwood-smoked potatoes with wine sauce, for example. Enjoy as you take i

Most good food buffs agree that Japanese chefs can be relied on to produce truly outstanding French cuisine. At Ōrtensia, the Gallic menu is sprinkled with just the right dose of Japanese accents. Just like the flower after which it is named (hydrangea in English), the cuisine changes colour with the seasons and weather. A contemporary, minimalist vibe depicts the interior, in which light neutral shades and wood dominate, while mirrors on the walls create a feeling of space. Online bookings only.

The restaurant’s name is a fusion of the chef’s first name, Mory, and that of Yasuke, the first and only African samurai of Japan, which rather sets the scene. The chef successfully mixes his Malian and Senegalese roots, his fascination for Japan and, of course, his passion for Gallic food and techniques. The end result is inspired and original, featuring dishes that are distinctive, accomplished and sprinkled in a melting-pot of flavours: flame torched langoustines, achu sauce, piquillos and aromatic herbs; confit of croaker, kik alicha, fermented cabbage and confit citrus fruit; Aubrac beef