L’Hydrophobe
53 bis, boulevard Arago
75013 Paris
Phone: 01.45.35.53.42
Metro Station: Glacière (Line 6) or Goblins (Line 7)
Type of cuisine: French
Days & hours of operation: Tues-Sat noon-2:30 p.m., 7:00 p.m.-10:30 p.m.
Credit card: Visa, Amex
Having enjoyed dining at this restaurant several months ago, my partner and I returned on a recent Friday evening in anticipation of a great meal.
For the starter, I ordered the Petit marron, oeuf poché et magret fumé, which I imagined would be chestnut (marron) soup. However, I was misled by the name, and I received, instead, cream of squash soup in which floated a large poached egg and thinly-sliced, smoked duck breast. This was not a disappointment, as the dish was a delicious, piping-hot soup appropriate for a cold autumn day. I later learned that “petit marron” means “potimarron,” a variety of orange squash, technically called Cucurbita maxima. My partner ordered the Salade de foie gras aux pignons de pin. There was no name confusion here! She was served a salad of baby romaine lettuce and radicchio, with toasted pine nuts and shavings of carrot, topped by a generous portion of thinly-sliced foie gras dusted with paprika.
For the main course, my desire for seasonal dishes induced me to order the Civet de sanglier au pain d’épices. A shallow dish containing broccoli, carrot, turnip, gratin potatoes, and a dollop of puréed potatoes was placed in front of me. Next to the dish was placed a large iron casserole containing wild boar stew that had been prepared in a “spice bread” sauce. I would never have imagined that the flavor of spice bread would go so well with game, but this surprising dish was hearty and satisfying. My partner ordered the Filet mignon porc aux trompettes de la mort, three morsels of meaty pork blanketed with black chanterelle mushrooms. The smallest portion of meat was slightly overcooked, but the other two were fine. Her vegetable accompaniment was the same as mine, with the exception of a purée of beetroot and a baked clove of garlic replacing my broccoli and puréed potatoes.
For dessert, I selected Gratin de mandarine – mandarin orange slices soaked in Grand Marnier atop a thin slice of spice bread, covered with caramelized sabayon. It was a fine, light finish to the hearty meal. As my partner had ordered the Sable fin aux pommes et coing in advance, she was anticipating receiving something special. What she got was a tart consisting of a thin shortbread crust, a layer of quince jelly, and finally, delicate slices of apple topped with a small scoop of vanilla ice cream. Served warm, it was sublime!
During the meal we enjoyed a half-bottle of 2001 Fiefs de Lagrange–Saint Julien from Bordeaux – a soft, medium-bodied complement to our meal. As the name of the restaurant implies, the wine selection here is fairly extensive.
The after-dinner espresso was served with two small meringue puffs, lightly flavored with strawberry.
The bill for two, including two glasses of champagne, two starters, two main courses, two desserts, 1/2 bottle of wine, and one espresso, came to 103.50€.
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.
Le Grand Pan
20, rue Rosenwald
75015 Paris
Phone: 01.42.50.02.50
Metro Station: Convention (Line 12) or Plaisance (Line 13)
Type of cuisine: Basque
Days & hours of operation: Mon-Fri 12:30 p.m. - 2.30 p.m., 7:30 p.m. - 11pm; Sat 7:30 p.m. - 11:00 p.m.
Credit card: Visa
Our friends Gaille and Richard from Australia recommended this place. We are pleased that they gave us this tip!
Looking ever so much like an informal, country restaurant, Le Grand Pan serves up delicious, hearty cuisine.
For the starter, we each ordered the Terrine de gibier et son mesclun, an inch-thick slice of terrine of game served on a wooden cutting board with a small, mixed green salad. Bits of chestnut had been incorporated into the moist meat pâté, adding contrasting texture.
For the main course, we tucked into the Côte de porc Ibaïona de Chez Louis Ospital for two. This was an immense portion of pork chop, carved into small, rectangular segments, and served on a platter. The meat was succulent and tender. At our request, the waitress served us sautéed vegetables (extraordinarily flavorful turnips, string beans, and carrots) in lieu of the hand-cut French fried potatoes that normally accompany this dish.
For dessert, I ordered the Tranches de clementines confites, macaron crème praline, consisting of a macaron (an egg white-based cookie) filled with a praline-flavored cream resting on a bed of sliced, sugared, juicy clementines. My partner ordered the Tarte aux quetsches, caramel laitier, a Damson plum-filled cake atop a flaky pastry-dough crust, dusted with powdered sugar and a drizzle of milk-based caramel sauce for garnish.
The restaurant is a popular place, and while we dined the sounds of high-spirited conversation filled the space.
The service was friendly and efficient.
The bill for two, including two starters, a main course for two, two desserts, three glasses of wine, one bottle of sparkling water, and a single espresso, came to 89.90€.
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.
Au Vieux Paris d’Arcole
24 rue Chanoinesse
75004 Paris
Phone: 01.40.51.78.52
Metro Station: Cité (Line 4)
Type of cuisine: French
Days & hours of operation: Open every day for lunch and dinner, except for lunch on Saturday. Hours: noon ‑ 2:30 p.m., 7:00 p.m. ‑ 10:30 p.m.
Credit card: Visa, Amex
Stepping over the threshold to enter this restaurant is like stepping back in time. The building in which the eatery is housed dates from the 16th century, and its ground-floor dining room is furnished with what appears to be medieval carpets, drapes and furniture. The décor is all part of the fun of eating here, and the good news is that the restaurant specializes in the appetizing cuisine from Aveyron, a French administrative department in the Midi-Pyrénées.
We came here for lunch recently, and after settling in and examining the menu, decided to order the 39€ Table d’hôtes surprise d’Odette, which, as its name implies, would be a surprise.
Our first course was called Les petits farcous sauvages d’Odette aux 7 légumes verts. We were served six small, thin pancakes containing seven green vegetables. The pancakes were delicate, with a light taste of olive oil.
Next came a delicious, hot vegetable soup in which I could taste turnip, carrot, potato and onion. The soup was homogeneous, without any vegetable chunks. It is also worth noting that it did not have a cream base, as so many soups served in French restaurants have.
The third course was called La terrible terrine d’Odette aux cêpes, foie gras et pistaches. This was a coarsely-textured, country-style meat pâté containing Boletus mushroom and pistachio, with a foie gras center. It was served with gherkins, lightly toasted bread, compote of onion, and red peppercorns. By the time we finished with this course, we had gotten the message that people in Aveyron eat very well!
The fourth course was the main one. It consisted of a succulent roasted leg of chicken served with sweetened vegetables, including candied carrots and white sweet potato, zucchini, red and yellow peppers, and onion. The skin of the chicken leg had also been basted with a sweet sauce. The sweetness of the dish was not overwhelming, but rather reminded me of the type of platter that is served at Thanksgiving.
There followed (finally!) a fifth course – the dessert. For this course we were given the choice between Crème brulée à la vraie vanilla Bourbon, Fondant au chocolat brut, froid ou chaud (Oulala !) [sic], Fromage blanc nature et confiture sauvage maison, or Tarte fine aux pommes sauvages. We each chose, therefore, the wild apple tart. It was a generous portion of moist, sweet, sliced apples baked on a thin crust and served with caramel sauce and crème Chantilly vanillée (vanilla-flavored whipped cream). A wonderful finish to a fine meal!
The bill for this five-course meal for two and two glasses each of Château Lamothe – 2007 – Côte du Bourg came to 98€.
The service was friendly and efficient.
For diners who yearn to sample food from a far-away region in France within a charming, old-world setting, we think that Au Vieux Paris d’Arcole will admirably fulfill this desire!
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.
Le Tourbillon
45, rue Claude Bernard
75005 Paris
Phone: 01.47.07.86.32
Metro Station: Censier-Daubenton
Type of cuisine: French
Days & hours of operation: Mon-Fri noon-2:30 p.m.,
7:00 p.m.-10:30 p.m. Sat 7:00 p.m. to 10:30 p.m.
Credit card: Visa
This little restaurant lies on the corner of rues Claude Bernard and Berthollet within a five-minute walk from the popular market street rue Mouffetard. It is run by a husband and wife team, Cédric and Rebecca Tessier, with Monsieur cooking in the kitchen and Madame serving the customers. Because their menu lists starters and main courses that are novel compared to the selections that we have seen in other small establishments, we recently stopped in for lunch.
We both ordered the Soupe de châtaignes, tartine de foie gras de canard confit. The hot chestnut soup was smooth and creamy, adding a touch of warmth to a chilly autumn day. Alongside were served three slices of toast, generously garnished with thin slivers of foie gras, mi-cuit (foie gras, cooked medium-rare). The silkiness of the foie gras matched the smooth texture of the chestnut soup, and the lightly-toasted bread gave crunchy counterpoint.
Our main course was Braisé d’épaule d’agneau, endives au miel “toutes fleurs.” The substantial portion of braised shoulder of lamb was pleasingly fork-tender, however we both found the cooked endives overly sweet.
Fresh, sliced baguette was served alongside in a basket. Apart from the texture and taste, we knew that the bread was fresh because we saw Madame Tessier run next door to the bakery to buy it!
We forewent the dessert because of the sweetness of the endives and the size of the portions of soup, foie gras, and lamb. We were tempted by the crème brulée, however, when we saw one with a beautifully caramelized crust served to a diner at the next table.
My espresso was served with two small meringue puffs, which, I am guessing, probably came from the bakery next door, as well. We have often passed by that bakery, admiring the cakes, bread, and meringues displayed in the window.
The bill for two, including a glass of champagne, two starters, two main courses, two glasses of wine, and an espresso, came to 69.50€.
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.
