In honour of today being February 29, “année bissextile” (Leap Year), I decided to write about something so special that you should definitely not wait four more years to try.
If I have ever spoken to you about eating in Paris, you can skip this post. You already know about La Régalade Conservatoire. If you have been to Paris, you’ve eaten here as I have already sent you. The reason? This may be one of the best restaurant deals in Paris.
The food is spectacular, the service is gracious and the price is wallet-friendly, even with the exchange!
Located in the Hotel du Nell, in the Opera district, shadowed by the Paroisse Saint-Eugène church, lives a fabulous restaurant lovingly overseen by Bruno Doucet. It is open for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Extremely popular with locals, reservations are a necessity. Why is it so popular and why do I send everyone who goes to Paris here for dinner?
Three courses: €37. You read that correctly. Three courses – appetizer, main and dessert – are a mere €37.
Sitting down to the table, you are greeted by a long rectangular pan of house-made terrine pâté, cornichons, pickled mushrooms, onions, grainy Pommery mustard and bread. The bread is the only item not made in house and is baked 300 metres away. The terrine is beautifully seasoned. I would eat the pâté alone and be happy. It is a great start and makes you look forward to what will be in store for the rest of your meal.
The menu changes regularly, some items may not be available when you go. Not to worry, whatever is on the menu is sure to delight.
Starters include their signature black squid ink risotto with shrimp; braised leeks with shredded braised pork and poached egg; oxtail pressed with foie gras and a sprouts sale; or an ever-changing soup. The night I was there, my soup was a cauliflower puree with hazelnuts and Époisse de Bourgongne, a slightly pungent, but creamy cow’s milk cheese (referred to as “the king of all cheeses” and a favourite of Napoleon).
Mains can include a tender beef cheek that has been braised for seven hours served with pearl onions and mushrooms; roast pork breast cassoulet with white kidney beans and carrots; or roast chicken with cheese croquette, button mushrooms and sautéed spinach; or several fish and shellfish dishes. Several upgrade options are available if you want to satisfy your foie gras or lobster cravings. Surprisingly enough, the additional costs to upgrade are also wallet-friendly.
Save room for dessert. The strawberries and mascarpone; apple tart which comes with its own grater and fresh nutmeg and cinnamon; Grand Mariner soufflé; rice pudding like Grandma made but served with caramel sauce; or the thick and rich hazelnut chocolate mousse will have you trying to figure out when you can come back for your next meal. Not a sweet person? A cheese selection is also available as a dessert option.
While this restaurant does not, as yet, have a Michelin star, the meal will certainly make you feel like it does. The wine list is of note, with a variety of French wines at decent price points. This is the second time I have eaten at La Régalade. The second meal and service were just as good as I remembered from my first meal. This is a restaurant I will definitely come back to the next time I am in Paris.
Where and when: Hotel de Nell Hotel – 9 Rue du Conservatoire, 75009 Paris, 9th Arrondissement (Opera district); Open daily: 7 – 10:30 am, 12 – 2 pm, 7 -10:30 pm
