The Le Bon Georges it’s the first taste of this version of the city. In the 9th arrondissement, this classic bistro with its blue facade, rattan chairs, round tables and blackboards with well-written daily dishes is the epitome of the authentic. The menu changes daily according to availability and season. The products come from every corner of France and are selected with great care.
On the day we are there, we try volovan with lamb sweets, liver, mushrooms and lamb stock. The light puff pastry and the rich filling find an ideal balance. Next up are white asparagus from the Lands with hollandaise sauce, simple, classic and full of flavor. The Normandy beef tenderloin with peppery sauce, cooked to perfection, is one of the best in Paris. The milk lamb from Aveyron with potatoes from Noirmoutier almost melts on the fork. From the list of more than 2,000 labels we choose a wine from Châteauneuf-du-Pape of the Southern Rhône to perfectly match the meal.
A Parisian daily outing
If Le Bon Georges represents the more refined side of the Parisian bistro, the Square Trousseau it is the kind of shop that Parisians choose for their daily outing. A few steps from Place d’Aligre, in the 12th arrondissement, this corner bistro has been operating since 1907. Mirrors, white tablecloths, marble floors and a room that fills with neighborhood groups create the feeling of a Paris that resists trends and fashions. The kitchen moves in the same spirit, which seriously approaches classic French dishes. We start with tomato confit, chèvre fondant and foie gras, while for main we choose veal liver with apple cider vinegar sauce, an “old fashioned” dish that is now rare in Parisian bistros. It’s also worth ordering the fries, which come thinly sliced and crispy and go perfectly with the perfectly executed tartare. To finish, we choose two classic French desserts: Îles flottantes (“floating island”), with fluffy meringue floating on crème anglaise, and profiteroles with ice cream and liquid chocolate served at the table.
The bistros otherwise
In the city’s eastern districts, a new generation of chefs is redefining the bistro without discarding what made it timeless. In the quiet Place Martin Nadaud, the Dandelions expresses this very transition. Antoine Villard, former sous-chef at Septime, emphasizes fine products and balanced flavors. We start with peas, butter flavored with harissa, trout roe and shrimp bisque sabayon, a dish simple in appearance, which reveals new balances in every bite. The trout with a buttery sauce, acacia flowers and baby potatoes is in the same spirit: delicate, fresh and with precise flavors. Cavatelli with morels and amodillado sauce is earthier, but just as delicious. Finally comes one of the best desserts of the trip, baba au rhum with champagne and Louisa ice cream, cool, aromatic and with as much alcohol as needed. The wine list gives special weight to mild intervention producers. “Octobre” by Les Foulards Rouges, one of the most important representatives of the category in Roussillon, southern France, stands out.
Modern and unique flavors
In the same neighborhood, the Paulownia approaches modern French cuisine with more experience. Joffrey Belen and Tess Duteuil, who met at Alain Passard’s Arpège, have created a restaurant where everything is prepared to order. Their cuisine is deeply seasonal, balancing between high technique and intimacy. Dishes such as “winter summer rolls” with sweet and sour quince, tortellini with smoked scamorza and celery consommé or boiled endives with grapefruit and cloves, are creative but also deeply delicious. The picture is completed by one of the warmest and most welcoming service teams in Paris.
In the Marais, at EME Nazareno chef Mayol Kurti, with stints at restaurants such as Mirazur and David Toutain, creates a tasting menu based on seasonality and his personal culinary memories. Acidities and spices play a leading role, giving intensity and rhythm to dishes that remain simple in execution but full of character. Thinly sliced scallops with cauliflower and kaffir lime, an aromatic mushroom broth with shiso leaves and black garlic. The minimal environment in shades of khaki creates a calm and intimate atmosphere. In a city where new restaurants are opening all the time, EME stands out.
In the city markets
As creative as the city’s cuisines are, the heart of Parisian flavor beats in its markets. At Marché des Enfants Rougesthe oldest covered market in Paris, the stalls in summer are filled with apricots, white peaches, cherries, melons from the south of France, tomatoes of every shape and color, courgettes with their blossoms and bundles of fresh basil and tarragon, as well as cheeses and cured meats, as well as oysters. Between the residents of the neighborhood who do their daily shopping, the visitors of the city also move, creating one of the most vivid images of Paris. Some fill their bags for a picnic in a nearby park, we take a seat at the benches for a glass of wine and a quick meal.
And then there are the little pleasures: A croque madame at Café Hugoin Place des Vosges, with crusty bread, ham, melted cheese and a poached egg on top. Or the crepe suzettes at Ma Bourgognewhere butter, orange, Grand Marnier and spectacular flambé transform a simple dessert into an unforgettable experience.
On the banks of the Canal Saint-Martin, at Hotel du Norda charming brasserie. There, sitting at the tables by the canal, under the striped umbrellas reminiscent of the Cote d’Azur, we combine golden fries with a glass of champagne. The ultimate Parisian finale.
