We all know that feeling. You’re clamoring the city streets, half asleep, half starving. Too inept to make any sort of decision. The restaurants flash by you as you move farther away from your gut desires. Do I want ramen? Or does Indian sound better? Or maybe I just run into a Franprix and grab every bag of apéritif crackers I can find?
I get that this all sounds like the opening of an Anthony Bourdain episode. Thanks to him, this has become kind of a celebrated thing in our society - this illustrious idea of the lost wanderer, Down and Out in Paris. This city has become a well-celebrated destination for food crawls. Food writer A.J. Leibling famously scoured the Parisian streets for cheap grub as a starved Sorbonne student (Between Meals: An Appetite for Paris is a great book that you should definitely read).
This aimlessness (I’ve found) has spurred some of my best and worst-ever meals. Either way, whatever you eat ends up tasting sooooooo goooooood… At first…. Once you ride the initial wave of satiation back into the reality of your situation, the food you're squatted in front of can either live up to or be disappointing to the hype.
This hangry stooper can be exacerbated by the companionship of a fellow sufferer. The only thing worse than one fed-up feeder is a group of them… In this case, the partner-in-crime was my mom.
She and I spent about a week in Paris before I moved back into school, shopping all the shops, walking the walks, eating the eats. Certainly drinking the drinks, at the newly-installed, astrologically-themed Bar Hemingway extension of the Ritz (definitely did not have that one on my bingo card).
It was one of our last days together, and an unexpected, all-too-common airline cancellation landed her in a new hotel - the Pavillon Faubourg Saint-Germain. With me working all morning and my mom in a facial, we then met up for a late lunch - having worked up quite an appetite! After extensively and silently researching in the sanctity of the hotel room, we decided to venture out into the great unknown. Visions of thick rice noodles in warm bowls of broth danced in my head as we descended the elevator. I felt nervous of the task ahead, hoping one of our last meals in Paris together would live up to the expectations and the already high bar which preceded us, including:
Before we could step out onto the narrow Saint Germain streets, our decision was made for us. The exit required a walk through the hotel’s kitchen, home to the restaurant Les Parisiens. We were quickly seduced by the smells, the sights, the ease. It was here, with a wordless recognition, that we decided to dine - and thank God we did.
Les Parisiens
The Menu
Not the movie, ha!
First things first, this place was BUSY. We were lucky enough to stumble into a table of 2, but people were funneling into this place like bees to honey. Very mixed bag of locals (academics/professionals, situated right next to Sciences Po college) but also tourists. Not just any tourists. We’re talking clear foodies. These people knew what they were doing, and I was in good company.
The Starter
Looking at the list of options, just about everything sounds scrumptious. Especially to a hungry (I’ll admit it, a little snobby) 21 y/o.. But MAN! I should have known I was in for something beyond satiating with the first bite of this “seasonal tartlette.”
The thing was beautiful, and I’m a sucker for presentation after pastry school. The “petals” were alternating dials of thinly-sliced radish and mushroom, topped with a grated fungus (not truffle, whew). Beneath the beautiful visage was a light & airy whipped ricotta filling, unexpectedly laced with cardamom and dashes of diced radish. The shell holding it all together… this… was a sight to behold. The dainty crisp was flaky and buttery and the perfect finish to this masterpiece.
Get a girl who can do both, because I also got this as a starter. Titled “guilty pleasure” or Le péché mignon, this was a Comté and white (?) ham pasta. Like buttered noodles on French steroids. Beyond good, a refined take on classic mac.
The Main
Still dreaming of this pollack… I’ve been on a huge fish kick in an effort to cut down on my meat intake, and this dish was leaguesssss better than the cod I’d had from Jules Verne earlier in the week. The purée of artichoke was something unexpected and provided more flavor than your run-of-the-mill potato mash. My mom and I had originally set out for some soup on this cold January day, but this umami-packed mushroom broth did the trick (probably breaking many-a French manner code by tilting my bowl and slurping in spoonfuls).
A perfect balance of textures. A dish that photographs well and tastes even well-er….
The Dessert
Revisiting this picture, you are probably confused as to what you’re looking at. This is a classic French dessert, l’île Flottante or “floating island.” You may remember the dish from my Cordon Bleu blog days (if you are a die-hard “Accent on the E” fan like Kelly Sullivan❤️).
This dessert was legit insane, and y’all know I take my sweets lightly… unless it’s an airy egg white base surrounded by a pond of delicate vanilla-bean-speckled crème anglaise, interrupted by a pop of nuttiness from the caramelized hazels. UGHHHHHH this haunts my dreams!!! (A) I wish I came up with this modern take on the classic and (B) it will forever stamp my memory as a perfect dessert. Will certainly be dragging a friend back here with me for this à partager delight.
The Verdict
⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ /5
Moral of the story, we didn’t have to wander very far to find an establishment that blew away all of our expectations - which didn’t even have the time to formulate in the first place. A divine light lunch ideal for business briefs (because I do a lot of those), mom and daughter bonding, or experiencing some really incredible cheffing.*
Bonus points: we also ordered an INSANE cheeseburger and fries from room service; this place does not miss!!! The chicken Caesar salad also came with these delectable, butter-soaked croutons.
At the end of our meal, I told our server I was going to recommend this place to everyone I knew in Paris!!!! As I am doing now!!! Her response: “it’s already one of the highest-regarded restaurants in the city.” 😂 They don’t need my help, but I will still give it.
*by a pretty cute chef, I must admit…
did not hurt the experience…
one bit…
That’s all for now, thanks for reading!
xoxo,
Chloé
Fantastic as always! And you are correct I would never balk at a repeat. 😂
Glad you had some extra time together … 🇫🇷🥂
Loved it! 💗💗💗