Comice

+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 – 90

2017 Domaine François Raveneau Chablis Butteaux 1er Cru – 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.

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.

Handmade Potato Gnocchi Forestiers; Milk Caps, Chanterelles, Black Trumpet Mushrooms, Vin Jaune Sauce 

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.

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.

Steamed Day Boat Turbot, Béarnaise Mousseline Sauce, Sweet Potato Ravioli, Spinach, Confit Shallot, Bacon Vinaigrette 

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.

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.

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.

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.

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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