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Le Pré Verre Paris on Business Traveller Magazine in London
Food and Drink, Parisian prix fixe
By John Brunton
John Brunton finds bistros are enjoying a revival in the French capital, combining the authentic with the creative at great prices
Paris may have a reputation for being the gastronomic capital of the world, but it is not always easy to find places to dine in at night that offer creative cuisine at reasonable prices. Happily, the city is seeing a rebirth of the humble bistro, with young, innovative chefs revitalising classic recipes while retaining the unique décor and ambiance of these informal restaurants.
Bistros were always famous for their bargainpriced set lunches, but now diners no longer face an expensive à la carte meal in the evening, as most locales also offer excellent-value threecourse menus of high-quality cooking for dinner.
Le Pré Verre
The Left Bank is one of the most atmospheric parts of the city, but not
always one of the best places for eating out, with many eateries targeting
tourists.
Situated just by the Sorbonne, Le Pré Verre is not just the
exception, but one of the hottest addresses in Paris. That’s down to
the dynamic chef, Philippe Delacourcelle, the outstanding wine list compiled
by his brother Marc, and the intelligent pricing.
The cuisine uses traditional French recipes, subtly complemented by Asian spices and cooking methods - Philippe worked in the Far East and has recently opened a branch of Le Pré Verre in Tokyo. The décor is minimalist, with stylised jazz album covers in the main dining room and a series of avant-garde frescoes covering the walls of the funkier downstairs cellar.
The menu changes daily, but several specialities are always served, such as suckling pig in a spicy sauce with crunchy cabbage, or delicate fillets of rascasse (scorpion fish), braised with cinnamon and served on a bed of smoked potato purée.
October, 2009 on Business Traveller Magazine in London, Food and Drink by John Brunton
Complete article on Business Traveller Magazine in London [pdf]
Contains a paragraph about our friend Stéphane Chevassus and his restaurant Au vieux chêne