Divellec is an institution and has been for many years, when you simply wish to have good seafood without any fuss, here is the place to be for that. Expect a menu of superior and rare species of fish/shellfish (When available), a suitable selection of crudo for the health conscious, and a delightful section of fish forward starters and mains. The whole menu here speaks to me, you can have a tasty dinner whilst also minding your waistline. Lean, healthy, not boring at all either. If you can kill two birds with one stone, of course I’m going to do it.
Here was the place to take a crudo, without hesitation it had to be the gambero rosso from Sicily. It arrived as a perfectly flat rectangle, topped with a subtle amount of bergamot oil. Every single bite was a pleasure but if I had to be critical it was served very ice cold. (At least health and safety are taken seriously) It was a little bit uncomfortable to eat for my taste, I would have preferred it slightly warmer, as it meant the flavour would be more present too, but I could not fault the execution at all. The product was wonderful and so was the preparation.
Diving into the starters was a non- negotiable, we took the squid simply grilled with basil. There were no chewy parts here, the cookery mastered with small bite-sized pieces almost popping in the mouth. Tender with still some bite given and the punchy, flavourful sauce bringing the dish together as one. Simply perfect.
We were lucky to be able to have access to the capon fish for this visit, a rare and prized product. If there is anything to take at this fish bistro it is this, do not look any further! You can waltz straight past the blue lobster believe me… The fish was shown proudly at the table before being filleted in front of us, quite a difficult fish to fillet it seems, but the waiter succeeded! It was beautiful. Quite meat-like in texture, distinctive, accompanied by a Mediterranean inspired sauce which paired well. The only pet hate was the fact there were scales left on the skin, I was practically eating them and the skin being tough, but this was a small price to pay for the marvellous cookery and fish itself. The side dishes were also great- Perfectly cooked mushrooms, a Pomme purée as smooth as you like, creamy and indulgent, and a sauté pan filled with a medley of different vegetables all cooked ‘to the bite.’
Divellec itself is a sophisticated space to sit in and spend a quiet evening. We sat opposite a mellow and quiet singer who was providing the perfect ambiance in which to eat, you can still hear yourself speak with some calming music behind. I wonder why we don’t see this more in restaurants, it is bringing a real atmosphere. It appears to me that there is investment behind this place, it shows. Not forgetting that this is a one star in Paris, the standard is here, and this is your go to for excellent fish cookery in a relaxed and elegant bistro setting. You can’t go wrong.
