Au Bourguignon du Marais

52, rue François Miron
75004 Paris

Phone: 01.48.87.15.40

Metro Station: Saint-Paul (Line 1)

Type of cuisine: French

Days & hours of operation: Tues-Sat from noon to 11:00 p.m.

Credit card: Visa, Amex

This handsome restaurant, decorated in contemporary style, serves up a wide range of French dishes (ten starters, twelve main courses, two cheese plates, eight desserts, plus suggestions of the day, as well as a good selection of wines) that should satisfy most diners’ preferences.

My partner and I ordered a starter called Croustillant de chèvre frais aux figues, a serving of two triangular-shaped brik pastry shells filled with goat cheese, figs, and walnuts that had been deep-fried and placed atop a copious, mixed-green salad.  The crunch of the pastry shell provided a pleasing textural contrast to the warm goat-cheese filling.

For the plat principal, I ordered the Thon rouge poêlé, vinegrette d’herbes fraîches et purée maison.  I requested that the tuna fish steak be cooked medium-rare and that mixed vegetables be served in place of the puréed potatoes.  I received a generous portion of pan-fried tuna fish steak, covered with an herb paste and a side dish of sautéed carrots, string beans, zucchini, and fennel.  The tuna fish was moist and tender.  My partner ordered a second starter, the Salade de legumes grillées, jambon San Daniele et Parmesan.  She received a copious portion of grilled eggplant and artichoke hearts, topped by rocket salad, three thin slices of San Daniele ham, and large shavings of Parmesan.

For dessert, I ordered Oeuf à la neige, a mound of dense meringue floating on a pond of crème anglaise.  The meringue had been drizzled with caramelized sugar and sprinkled with sliced almonds.  Sweet and delicious!  My partner ordered the Tarte Tatin maison, a homemade tart consisting of an entire cored apple baked atop a round pastry crust and served with a goblet of crème Chantilly.

The service was friendly and efficient.

The bill for two, including three starters, one main course, two desserts, one bottle of mineral water, a half-bottle of Chablis Domaine Daniel Dampt et Fils 2008, and a glass of Domain Esmonin white Burgundy came to 109€.

This is an ideal restaurant for Americans who wish to dine early, as it has continuous service throughout the day.  The wait staff speaks English.

Tom Reeves has been a confirmed Francophile since he first traveled to France in 1975.  A native of northern California, he moved to France permanently in 1992.  Reeves’ love of French language and culture inspired him to create Discover Paris!, a travel planning service that caters to Americans interested in cultural travel to Paris.  His book, Paris Insights – An Anthology, has been called “the kind of insider’s view of the French capital…that first or even second time visitors pine for.”  He publishes a monthly newsletter entitled Paris Insights about history, culture, and contemporary life in the City of Light, and posts daily information about the French capital on Facebook.