ultra-rare "Iberico" steak on black beans at Le Baratin, Paris
Because Jon and I were in Paris during a French holiday weekend, a lot of the places I wanted to try (Jadis and L’Epigramme, among others) were closed for the holiday. Luckily, the hard-working husband-wife duo of Le Baratin in Belleville kept things open that weekend.
What I read online indicated that this out-of-the-way bistro is where Yves Camdeborde, Pierre Hermé, Joël Robuchon and Alain Ducasse like to eat when they’re off duty. And well, if it’s good enough for them, it’s definitely good enough for me.
The bistro had the buzzy feel of a neighborhood favorite, and compared to the boho chic of the French-speaking diners around us, Jon and I were painfully over-dressed. But we quickly got over our self-consciousness when it became our turn to read the menu on the chalkboard, which was brought over to our table as soon as the last table was done ordering. True bistro style.
lieu jaune (pollack) tartare with raspberry dressing at Le Baratin, Paris
Still feeling a bit full from our lunch, I started with a tartare de lieu jaune (pollack) served in a sweet-and-tart raspberry dressing. The dish was light and fresh, though some of the pollack was a tad stringy (odd). After seeing a mouthwatering, generous portion of seared foie gras go by, I regretted not getting that starter instead.
Jon’s Iberico steak (I’ve never seen Iberico as an adjective to anything other than pig) with black beans was stellar. The dish wasn’t much to look at, but the steak was juicy and raw-in-the-middle, and our marriage might have ended had Jon not granted me more of the accompanying thick, creamy, almost-fluffy black beans (apparently smoked in a Japanese style).
braised joue de cochon (pork cheeks) at Le Baratin
Main courses were simple and delicious. Nothing fancy about them, which is perhaps the draw for all those Michelin-starred chefs who are looking to escape everything that reminds them of their jobs. I ordered joue de cochon (pork cheeks), which were braised perfectly (until unctuous and fork-tender) and served with classic limp French vegetables.
raie (skate) at Le Baratin
Jon’s order of (yet more) skate was golden-and-crisp-skinned, and not only was it prettier than the version we’d had at Le Gaigne (where we’d expected seafood to be a strength), but also it was tastier. Butter is the key.
Because the portions were so generous, we didn’t have room for dessert. Starters were 11-12 euros; mains hovered around 25 euros. The place isn’t cheap, but it’s packed with French speakers, very lively and is homely-looking enough to feel “authentic.” What we ordered amounted to high-quality ingredients prepared in a satisfying, home-style way. I would’ve been thrilled to have stumbled upon the place by accident while exploring the neighborhood, but as a much-hyped destination restaurant, I couldn’t help feeling a little disappointed.
With a coffee and a 36-euro bottle of wine, our total for two starters and two mains came to 100 euros.
Le Baratin, 3, rue Jouye-Rouve, 20th, +33 1 43 49 39 70; closest metro: Pyrenees or Belleville (11); closed Sunday and Monday.
Looks absolutely sublime! Ugh, I wish I knew about Belleville and this place when we were in Paris! Oh well, maybe next time!
Sounds great, I must make a return visit! The only time I’ve been to Paris was a torturous A Level art trip where we were dragged round every single gallery. One girl even fainted.
25 euros sounds a little steep to me, though the spread of food does look brilliant! Esp the iberico steak, I’m going back to Paris in July to celebrate my birthday – is there any place you came across that I must try?
The missus hasn’t been to the lourve yet, and I’m hoping to blow my savings on as many cases of burgundy as eurostar will allow me to take on board.
Have a good weekend!
Jen – I’m not sure Belleville is worth the trip if you get to Paris, say, once a year and you’re in town for just a few days (because it’s not exactly scenic). But because I love banh mi and am often on the Right Bank anyway, I find Belleville is fun to explore.
Lizzie – I can see why you’d stay away from Paris if your memory consists of mandatory school trips. : ) I can’t believe someone fainted!
Kang – L’Astrance is the one place I’ve been eager to return to, but they’re closed on weekends (and the past few trips I’ve made to Paris have been Friday night to Sunday night, so no L’Astrance for me).
http://rwapplewannabe.wordpress.com/2006/10/21/paris-lastrance-pho-14/
By way of neo-bistro meals, I really enjoyed Itineraires, and have also wondered if Le Cinq Mars would be a rockin’ time at night (enough to want to return to try dinner there instead of lunch). [If you choose the "France" pulldown from the "Pick a Country" menu, you'll see all the Paris posts I've made over the past couple of years.]
Spring and Jadis are high on my “would love to try them out” list. I’ve been waiting for a while to see when Spring would re-open but am not nearly connected enough to know what’s really going on there.
Looks like another one to put on the list for Paris for me! Thanks for the discovery. Good to hear that a “chef’s off duty favourite” actually turns out to have decent food for once as I know you have been disappointed in the past.
Just got back from a week in Paris. Le Baratin was on my list but I didn’t make it to the 11th on this trip although I did manage to have dinner at L’Epigramme – good food and very reasonable prices although I think L’Itineraire is way better.
Did make it to the Rose Bakery in the Marais though and to the very hip and happening Glou.
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you can also habe lunch at the baratin. A t-course meal (nothung else than the menü is offered) is €18 w beverages.