More on Guilo Guilo

If lunch at Le Grand Vefour was my best dining experience yet, dinner at Guilo Guilo was not far behind.



This itty-bitty, black-lacquered gem of a Japanese restaurant up on Montmartre’s hill doesn’t have the history, beauty or poshness of Le Grand Vefour. But it’s such a non-Parisian joint. It was such a fun experience. I loved everything about it, from the care and attention to all the little details…


...to dining with new girls...

...to indulging in eight courses of deliciousness.

Just a wee start up: smoked tofu with a peanut sauce and an edible fleur.

(Beautiful, no?)

A delightful assortment of amuse bouches. Fresh, fun, dee-lish.


To go with these delicate creations, I had prune liqueur, which was really light and fruity and went down really easily.

Next came a yummy, creamy broccoli soup with tamago (Japanese omelet) and taro chip.

One piece of tuna sushi topped with a mushroom puree.

And then my least favorite of the lot: skate that was a little too difficult to eat (served with the bones), atop a paste-y puree.

Sixth course: honestly, I can’t even remember! I think it was a flash-fried root veg of some sort. In any case, it was tasty.

Then came a simple and modest rice soup. (Are you getting full yet?)

And au final, dessert. My experience is that dessert isn’t usually a standout at Japanese restaurants, but this final course was every bit as delicious as all the savory plates.

There was a dollop of chocolate mousse with banana cream. Two bites of apple tatin caramelized heaven adorned with a matcha financier. And a gelatinized orange, which I thought would be the low point of the plate, but there was something about the unusual texture and thick flavor that was amazing.

It was a true adventure in eating. Surprising, delightful and delicious. A perfect little Parisian memory, filed away to keep me happy.