9: Racines

Dinners are the hottest real estate these days, haven't you heard?

Tragedy has struck our small community. This is one of my last big meals out on the town to round out a long long year in Paris, which still didn’t feel long enough.

The real tragedy is, I wrote this whole review under the guise that this is one of Kim K’s most-preffered Paris post-ups. After extensive Instagram, DailyMail, and Reddit research, I can conclude it is not. (That would actually turn out to be Ferdi… another place I’ve tried recently. All this hub-bub over a cheeseburger? Safe to say, not warranting a full review😳. I’ll stick to Five Guys.).

If you ever make your way to Racines, go ahead and tell people it’s Kim K’s favorite. And North’s too. And better than Ferdi! Let’s see how far we can take it.

Anywho, the days and dinners are limited, and I needed to post another blog for posterity and ego’s sake. Bon appétit!

For my second round in Paris, I’ve graduated from the basics like LA’s du and Lauderée. That was soooo two years ago. Racines, no diggity doubt, could be considered one of these basics. Hailed as Kim Ks “dinner” of choice, it’s no stranger to publicity.

Over the course of this year, I’ve made it a mission to decode some of Paris’ hottest places. As someone who receives recommendations and gives them just the same, it’s my duty - for the people - to get to the truth of the matter. Racines is one of those places. 

Tucked away in a second arrondissement quaint passage, it’s reminiscent of one of Baudelaire’s old Parisian haunts in appearance. The food itself evokes more of a Carbone (even though there is also a tried-and-true rip-off, Carboni’s, here in the 3rd arrondissement. My advice? Skip the soy sauce told carbonara and head straight to the speakeasy downstairs.) 

Emily, my trusty compadre for the evening and fellow Paris-during-Covid-times alumn, knew the menu like the back of her beautifully and naturally manicured hands. I, too, had prepared. Here was the lineup:

1. An order of tagliatelle to share (I greatly appreciated the fact that they had already divvied it up for us, saving a pasta-sauced hassle).

2. The miscellaneous FRIED MEAT (which ended up being a quasi-chicken schnitzel). The roasted lemon, salt, and mayo-for-dipping add some extra flare to an already beautiful thing: chicken strips. Racines said: if it’s not broke, don’t fix it.

3. Two house drinks, following up two other house drinks (French 75s) at Harry’s New York bar down the street (recommendation à la Sloane Kratzman). It was the strongest one I had ever tasted, served ice cold to the brim in a fat martini glass.

The Racines special also was a distant cousin, a Prosecco concoction with Pamplemousse and an extra, unidentified liquor. 

I had to give the side bowl of mayonnaise a feature😏

The food, albeit with all of the hype, was incredible. Simple, and really good. Wow, she should be a food critic or something! Also reasonable in price, considering the pumped-up celebrity value. The service was some of the most efficient I’ve experienced in Paris, as of late. Attentive yet aloof. My only qualm of the whole night was that my piece of bread was stale. A minuscule grievance, to say the least. And that I didn’t get to try more things on the menu!

We topped off the whole night with a tiramisu—nothing crazy, yet crazy delicious (as tiramisu tends to be).

Note to self: Tiramisu does not photograph well.

And they gave us a cream puff with the check!! Emily was the one who first introduced me to Dunes Blanches back in Arcachon, so this was a fitting surprise. 

Short but sweet review as well, but I needed to pay a quick homage to one of my last spendy nights in Paris. 

Racines Review

⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ /5 best for a GNO, and when parents pick up the check

Highly recommend making reservations beforehand!! 9:30pm on a Tuesday for two was the only opening day-of, FYI. 

xoxo,

Chloé