If you’re looking for places to eat in Paris, restaurant Mathieu Pacaud – Histoires is a name you need to keep in mind. Not only it offers amazing food, but also beautiful interiors that invite you in and make you want to linger. This Paris restaurant was designed by the duo of interior architects Gilles et Boissier and is all about taking your time.
This means that even before your meal starts, your should spend a moment or two exploring the restaurant interiors, which – although you’d never guess – are found at the back of a small but otherwise normal room with a view over a patio. There you’ll find a rather intriguing fresco of fantastical creatures. On closer inspection, this odd bestiary contains two large lobster claws which part to let you pass to the other side… where you’ll discover a rather unusual banquet.
See also: AN URBAN BLOCK DESIGNED BY HAMONIC + MASSON & ASSOCIÉS
The main room is mellow and cozy and decorated in pale pink hues that open onto an understated, softly-lit space overlooking the garden. Six roomy, comfortable alcoves have been lined with surprising plant fur by artists Alex & Marine to guarantee complete privacy. The
carefully selected tableware in a medley of materials and colors is mostly made by artisans and, in their originality, speak volumes about the gastronomic odes to come.
One of the most iconic places in the restaurant was inspired by Charles Perrault’s tales: some geese are seated rather rowdily between a piano and a hunting table groaning with food. This happy gaggle, magnified by mirrors, is orchestrated by the artist Jean-François Fourtou who has a genius for helping you return to childhood, lose your bearings, or simply land in a place that’s outlandish, weird and strange.
At the end of the room sparkles a mysterious code to crack before you gain access to the chef’s table. This small office separated from the kitchen by a simple glass screen is big enough to welcome just a handful of guests who will now have the privilege of discovering the secrets of permeation.
Le restaurant Mathieu Pacaud – Histoires
85, rue Kleber 75016 Paris
http://hexagone-paris.fr/
About the architects
Partners in life and in design, the duo of interior architects Gilles et Boissier is a true master in contrasting aesthetic approaches. Joyfully engaged in constant, creative disagreement, they find inspiration to create phenomenally beautiful interiors. Each one has a specific role and style, but together they form a unified whole. It never confines itself to one genre, often through contrast, always giving spaces a poetic dimension. Blending elegance and creativity since 2004, Patrick and Dorothée, have designed a variety of projects from residential to hospitality projects, luxury boutiques, and lifestyle restaurants.
See also: THE DESIGN CHANDELIERS EVERY PARIS HOME MUST HAVE