The Best Paris Bistros, May 2015

Bistro - a small restaurant, serving moderately priced simple meals in a model setting. Bistros are usually defined by the foods they serve: French home-style cooking and slow-cooked cuisine like cassoulet.

French bistros are a personal affair. For Parisians as well as those who visit the city, favorite bistros can serve as de facto dining rooms. They are also special. A place where servers and chefs know you and know you're preferences.

Poule au pot

After our second visit to Le Sens Unique during a trip in 2012, the servers knew that we loved their charcuterie plate and would have it on our table within minutes. Maybe it's because we were the loud Americans with the kid. Regardless, they knew. In turn, they got to know us. I exchanged friendly email with one of the servers for months after our visit.

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American writer Alexendar Lobrano recently examined the bistro renaissance in Paris. Having made his home in the French capital since 1986, he's experienced every Parisian food trend over the last three decades. He even wrote a book about it. THE book, Hungry For Paris: The Ultimate Guide To The City's 109 Best Restaurants. We take our well-worn, dog-eared copy with us every time we visit Paris. Alas, Le Sens Unique doesn't make the cut. One of our Left Bank favorites, L'Epigramme, did though. The food at L'Epigramme is sublime and the owners make you feel like royalty. Alas, we have only visited once.

With one of L'Epigramme's owners, Sylvie Camciant, circa 2012

In his article for the Wall Street Journal, "The Best New Paris Bistros", Lobrano notes that bistros fell out of favor with the chef set because "in part to the labor intensiveness of their cooking" and  "health-conscious Parisians who began to eschew meat-and-dairy-rich dishes, and young chefs who fancied themselves too creative to make the same recipes day in and day out".

Lobrano features four bistros that are leading a comeback which all seem to share a common theme: modern interpretations of classic bistro fare. Here's a quick summary:

• Bistrot Belhara - a Left Bank spot that serves contemporary bistro dishes rooted in French culinary tradition; prix fixe lunch, $25 and $35; prix fixe dinner, $40 and $55.
• Bistro Bellet - a popular modern bistro that serves the classics, dinner only; prix fixe menu, $40.
• L'Amarante - a bit more traditional menu featuring a few tweaks and top-notch ingredients, prix fixe lunch, $20.
• Le Bon George - very popular, menu changes daily; prix fixe lunch, $20.

When we visit Paris, we usually don't bother with the a la carte menus. The set menus are generally such a wonderful option when paired with wine it's one of those "can't-go-wrong" options. Read the full article on WSJ.com.

Merci d'avoir lu!

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