Emphasizing that it all boils down to expectation, we adore Amarante. For us, the ambiance is not sad, merely an example of a certain level of French decor. Our waiter was one of the best we experienced in city or country France: reading each table perfectly, engaging or formal, with us he was wry, slyly witty, charming. We loved the menu options which are not universally available, such as a memorable if rich bowl of fraise de veau. Amarante remains one of our favorite tables. As suggested, it will probably fall in your top or bottom tier experiences.
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I’m very ambiguous about Amarante. I love offal and so I like the food a lot. But I have never really enjoyed the restaurant… just something off about the vibe. Even more importantly, restaurants are a social occasion for me and none of my friends etc can be persuaded to consider Amarante as a suitably joyful place for a meal “entre potes”. I’ve also never experienced the personable service that @pilgrim encountered… just the luck of the draw, I guess.
Just another suggestion to torment Charles. This summer has been unusually cool in Paris and one jacket-weather evening a few weeks ago some friends invited me for dinner la Le Bon Georges in the 9th. Quite a surprising revelation. Excellent trad cuisine with touches of bistronomie, super vibe, great service, lots of soul, wines that matched the food perfectly. Especially memorable: the chef’s special tartare (made with Polmard beef) and a sort of leek velouté with foie gras and smoked goose slices. But not a huge menu (chalkboard/ ardoise) and it changes frequently. And, at least on this occasion, none of the trad standards/ clichés that many foreigners expect. https://www.lebongeorges.paris/
As for La Jacobine, hmmm. In the last few years, it seems to have become a totally tourist resto. I haven’t eaten there in years but the last time I passed through the cutesy Cour du Commerce Saint-André it had a large gaggle of what seemed entirely English-speakers waiting for a table (at 6:30pm !!). From a little look-see inside, everyone was eating French onion soup. I asked to see the menu from the very flustered maître d’ (?) and, even though I spoke in French to him, was handed an English menu. Maybe English is the wrong word because it seemed totally directed towards Americans and even the mains were listed as, uniquely American, “Entrées”. And so emphatically yes to the question “do they speak English ?” I have no idea of the quality of the cuisine but suspect a lot of help from Metro cash-and-carry. The local toms-toms say little about it and I assume that’s just another tourist resto elevated to popularity by the monkey see/ monkey do phenomenon that characterizes so much of tourism these days. Yet, probably a fine experience for foreigners, especially Americans, and their first introduction to Julia Child-popularized trad cuisine in Paris
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Understood, dear friend. Human chemistry is mysterious and elusive. Yes, our first impression of the sterile white room with its black and white tile did not conjure Parisian chic but it was bright and trim, you might say neo-diner like. . And our server at first appeared to be a caricature of the starched French waiter, but somehow a connection was made. Perhaps it was the juxtaposition of the American woman of a certain age ordering the most unapproachable items on the menu, and loving them. (I have, at another famous bistrot, had my order refused until I was adamant that I knew what I was ordering and insisted on having it.) Perhaps it was my enthusiasm for the ingredients and the treatment. Perhaps he was just bored and found us an amusing antidote to the sameness of his shift. Perhaps we were more willing to interact than the two serious businessmen dining at an adjacent table. All I know is that shortly after service began, he and we were all smiles and easy conversation. I guess we were just lucky.
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Agree with Le Bon George. This was recommended to me several years ago by the sommelier from Yam’tcha.
Hello Daniel,"
Hee! Hee! Small world! In fact, Le Bon George was actually on our initial eating-itinerary when we picked an Airbnb close to Trinite - d’Estienne d’Ovres. However, my daughter subsequently managed to find us a great deal in a boutique hotel on the 7th arr. As such, unless certain places are really stand out and uniquely different, we try to limit some of our chow-place a touch closer to home…though we realize Paris metro is extremely fast and efficient.
Any local foodies tried ’ Au Petit Tonneau, 75007 ’ before? How did the food compare with some other popular traditional French bistro institutions mentioned in the Paris thread? The price point seems a bit high but so do ratings of reviews.
