This was a first visit to the one Michelin Star restaurant Saturne, about which I knew absolutely nothing on arrival, and not enough when I left other than the food was wonderful, the service exemplary and I wanted to return. It’s called not doing your homework…. so everything was a surprise.The design is minimalist Scandinavian loft and you can see right through to the kitchen, although you can in almost all of today’s modern restaurants. Look inside and you can see that the staff appear to all be very young. This is not surprising when you bear in mind that the Chef Sven Chartier, who has worked with Alain Passard, is only just about to
hit 30 along with most of his crew.There’s no choice at dinner, other than that of adding the wine pairing to your meal, which we did. Three absolutely delicious and original amuse-bouches – including black olive ice sorbet with gapzacho - were followed by two fish dishes (mackere
l and pollock in our case), roast duckling and then two desserts, the last of which, a sublimely smooth chocolate mousse with hazelnuts and cream which left me craving more chocolate all day….
The wines were extraordinary and unusual also – this is part wine cave and part restaurant and so they are all very different from what you will be offered elsewhere, and were served with 
wonderful enthusiasm by Agatha, who brought extra wines to try when she thought it appropriate. The whole experience is fun, which is not usually a word I use to sum up a restaurant. The atmosphere is young and enthusiastic and the restaurant full of French guests, not tourists.
If you want a restaurant without the rarified atmosphere you’ll find in many Michelin starred places but superb food and wine this is well worth a visit. Just one thing – if you love your veggies this is not the place for you unless you’re happy to have an evening off. There’s very little green in sight. Otherwise? Perfection.
Saturne Restaurant Paris: 17, rue Notre-Dame des Victoires - 75002 Paris | 01.42.60.31.90
