Earlier this summer, the chef made his official comeback, opening L'Atelier de Joël Robuchon on the Rive Gauche of Paris in the 7th Arrondissement. For Fashionista, the neighborhood is also home to Karl Lagerfeld, Emanuel Ungaro, Yves Saint Laurent, Pierre Bergé and the President of Hermès.

Located on a quiet side street just off the Boulevard St. Germain, Robuchon's newest adventure shows his creative and revolutionary side once again. More resembling a sushi bar than a luxury restaurant, the décor consists of polished lacquer floors, a wrap around bar where diners are seated side by side on plush red bar stools, chrome and teakwood, and a nearly open kitchen. Chefs and waiters scurry about in black tunics instead of the traditional white attire.

The concept is a rarity in Paris, as is the fact that the restaurant, until just recently, has refused to take reservations. The result has been a long line stretching down the block, where would be diners wait patiently for the next free spot. As of September 1, guests may reserve for the first lunch seating beginning at 11:30 a.m., or the first dinner seating at 6:30p.m.

The menu is diverse enough to please even the most finicky gourmet, while the impressive presentation of each plate is sure to seduce the most demanding aesthete.

From cool gazpacho, caviar, roasted tuna and salmon, the options include steak tartar and cochon de lait, as well as langoustine and shrimp served as a warm tempura.

The true genius of the renowned chef, though, becomes apparent in his pairing of savors and perfumes.

Take, for example, a frothing cream of girolle (wild mushroom) soup, layered in a martini glass with emerald green spinach, lightly puréed, all warmly enveloping a poached egg.

Farm raised quail is roasted and caramelized with onions, boned and filleted, then accompanied by a purée of new potatoes garnished with slivers of white truffles and a twist of fresh chervil leaves.

For dessert, what could top a weightless soufflé perfumed with Chartreuse and served warm, a cool center of pistachio iced cream just below the golden surface?

The wine list is equally impressive, with the added benefit of having nearly every vintage, with the exception of the rarest of the rare, available by the glass.

Paris luxury restaurants can quickly grow dull, despite their galaxy of stars. La Tour d'Argent, Alain Ducasse, Hôtel de Crillion, and even the holiest shrine of all, Taillevent, are struggling to preserve the best of French tradition, and yet somehow to modernize.

Robuchon seems to have provided a vision for that evolution, and it is clear that his idea has become a big hit with Parisians and foreigners alike. Gone is unnecessary ritual, and in is unpretentious dining.

The bar-like atmosphere encourages people to talk with each other, another rarity in France, and so bridges, rather than walls, may be built over lunch or dinner. Today, my dining companion was Dominique, an elegant French lady of a certain age, who placed her two English bulldogs, aged 5 and 3 between us. The young ladies caught morsels of freshly baked bread, while the two us exchanged ideas on the menu, the wine list, on life and on our mutual love of canine friends.

Like all experiments, there are also occasional glitches. While Robuchon has successfully brought luxury quality at an affordable price (count on $50-$100 for three courses including wine), there are other blemishes that remain to be polished. The service for one was uneven, with inexperience occasionally showing in the form of sloppiness, or even a lack of savoir-faire. With the attention given to the architectural detail, one might equally expect that the cleaning crew would take the time to wipe the muddy footprints from the ebony floor. But aside from a few such foibles, L'Atelier de Joël Robuchon is an absolute must for the ultimate French dining experience.

L'Atelier de Joel Robuchon, 5 Rue de Montalembert, Paris 7; tel: 01-42-22-56-56. All major credit cards; à la carte, about E50 a person, including service but not wine. Open daily from 11:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. and 6:30 to midnight