Restaurant kitchens in Paris are notoriously small. But it would be hard to find one tinier than La Table d'Aki, so compact its staff is limited to a single person: Akihiro Horikoshi, also known as Aki.
Mr. Horikoshi serves as chef, prep cook, pâtissier, dishwasher, you-name-it-he-does-it at this 16-seat restaurant in the Seventh Arrondissement, not far from the well-heeled Boulevard St.-Germain. (When the restaurant opened in January, Mr. Horikoshi also poured the wine and delivered the food; he has since hired a server.) Working in an open kitchen, he prepares a menu that centers on fish, producing sophisticated dishes that sparkle with freshness and flawless execution.
Born in Japan to a family of chefs, Mr. Horikoshi came to Paris in 1997 to study French civilization at the Sorbonne. Between classes, he earned pocket money through stages, or internships, at some of the city's top restaurants. "Eventually, I realized that my true passion was French haute cuisine," he said. He eventually spent almost 20 years at the three-Michelin-starred L'Ambroisie, where he presided over fish dishes. At La Table d'Aki, he draws on this background, transforming high-end classics into clean and modern creations.
The restaurant's intimate, crisply elegant dining room echoes this aesthetic — classic but fresh — with white tablecloths, accents of pale gray, Thonet chairs in blond wood and pendant lamps hanging from red cords connected on the ceiling in the form of a spare spider's web.
A recent four-course, prix fixe dinner began with coral-colored gazpacho, a contrast of vivid tang, fine olive oil and a sweet trace of sea air from a pair of poached langoustine tails so tender they quivered atop the spoon. Crisp-skinned St. Pierre followed, a firm-fleshed fillet set into a pool of delicate aioli, a bold scoop of olive tapenade by its side. A strip of turbot was heightened by a glossy drizzle of veal jus scented with star anise and accompanied by a purée of celery root, the seared, brawny succulence of the fish a testament to Mr. Horikoshi's skill. For dessert, a dacquoise cake filled with raspberry cream floated off the fork, a dainty ending to an elegant meal.
"Everything is very simple, because I work alone," Mr. Horikoshi said. "I prepare everything myself — the mise en place, the sauces, the desserts. This isn't exactly a restaurant. People come here to eat at chez Aki."
La Table d'Aki, 49, rue Vaneau; (33-1) 45-44-43-48. An average lunch, without wine, is 40 euros ($50 at $1.25 to the euro). At dinner, there are prix fixe menus for four courses (46 euros) or five (60 euros), without wine. Reservations are strongly recommended.
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