REVIEW: La Grille Montorgueil [PARIS]

La Grille Montorgueil
50, rue Montorgueil
75002 Paris FRANCE
+33 01 42 33 21 21

Old school bang for the (euro)buck

Highly recommended
Cuisine: Traditional French bistrot fare
Best Bets: Magret de Canard, Steak Tartare, Tarte Tatin, Crème Brulée
Price Range: Entrées 13-20 euro; Appetizers and desserts 5-10 euro; Extremely reasonable wine selection starts at 13 euro

Although an influx of chain establishments has slowly eroded the traditional charm of the oldest market street in Paris, la Grille Montorgueil remains among a handful of cafés and restaurants that stand the test of time, offering consistently good food at reasonable prices to a mostly local clientele. Service is quick, unpretentious and usually attentive. On the weekends the bistrot offers continuous service throughout the day, a rarity in Paris and perfect for a lazy Sunday afternoon. Try to get there a bit early or make reservations during the warmer months to snatch a coveted outside table.

While the appetizers tend to be strong, no one stands out. As far as main courses go, the magret de canard (duck filet) is truly unforgettable, prepared in a apricot-pistachio sauce and served with a terrine of potatoes au gratin (gratin dauphinois). It is best ordered à point (medium-rare/medium). Runner-up is the steak tartare, freshly minced beef mixed with the perfect blend of mustard, cream, relish and worcestershire, served with frites and salad. Lamb, veal and steak are all good choices. The restaurant offers various fish options. A whole dorado, commonly a plat du jour, is a nice change of pace.

Desserts are all made in-house and prove to be spectacular. One finds most of the classics (and from time to time profiteroles show up on the specials' board), but nothing beats the tarte tatin, the classic soft-cooked apple tart with vanilla ice cream.

The house wine is perfectly quaffable, but the restaurants also offers a nice Pinot Noir from Alsace for about 19 euro, which complements most of the menu's options.