© Anne Claire Héraud
We’ve uncovered a culinary curiosity you simply cannot miss! Ready for a sneak peek? In the 5th arrondissement, a sensory adventure like no other is taking place. Ramzi Saade, a Lebanese-born engineer turned gastronomic concept creator, offers an enchanting journey with a seasonal theme. In a few words: a mysterious and immersive evening (note: this is the elevated version!) that will engage all five senses. Atica highlights a different region each season, currently focusing on the Basque Country. The restaurant seems to exist outside of time and space.
A Wonderland
From the moment you step inside, the interior design transports you, with a mirrored ceiling reminiscent of an airport and lighting sourced from vintage trains. Get ready! And that’s just the beginning of this wildly immersive experience. To continue, you descend into the basement. The architect has designed the entryway like something straight out of Alice in Wonderland — fitting, since the restaurant is housed in the former Le Seine cinema, the first to screen Disney’s classic animated film. Down a spiral staircase and through a narrow, dark corridor, you emerge as if in free fall into a six-meter-high screening room. It’s already fun!
A Feast for the Senses
None of your senses will be left out! The first room features an open bar serving Basque cocktails spiced with Espelette pepper. Did you know this pepper is a protected Basque product? You’ll also find an intriguing exhibit of banana tree bark sculptures by Basque artist José Ramon Anda. For once, you’re allowed to touch the art — all while enjoying pintxos, the typical Basque tapas. Be sure to try their mountain-cured ham and marinated anchovies. A highlight: the experience includes an olfactory capsule featuring a fragrance created especially for this event by a Basque perfumer.
The rest of the experience is pure delight! Surrounding the tables are 112m² of screens and 73 million pixels displaying continuous footage from the Basque Country (look out for sheep and horses!). Ramzi Saade has also crafted a unique soundscape, blending traditional Basque music with the soothing sounds of the sea.
And, of course, the fifth sense... At the heart of the Atica experience is Basque gastronomy, with a series of 8 meticulously crafted dishes. It all starts with pintxos, but in the wonderland basement, each dish is paired with the visuals. For instance, images of the sea accompany squid ink fish with golden fennel, while the mountains are paired with a Basque pork dish with Basque pimientos. The evening concludes with a taste of the local digestive: Patxaran.
This mind-blowing experience will leave you speechless, as you journey through the Basque Country without ever leaving your seat — though you might just fall out of it!
Services on Tuesdays and Wednesdays at 8 pm, Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays at 7 pm and 9:30 pm.
© Anne Claire Héraud
Also, discover Clotaire Poirier’s pop-up table at Bambino and Aurora Storari’s “dessert dining” at Aura.
