Le Dali : Petit Retro : Les Fees Pâtissieres

   1872  
Le Dali : Petit Retro : Les Fees Pâtissieres
          At Le Meurice, as well as Bar 228 and the magnificent Alain Ducasse haute couture restaurant, there’s  Le Dali ; alert readers know it’s a BUZZ favourite. The 45- seater café chic, designed by Philippe Starck, with awesome painted ceiling by his daughter Ara Starck, always buzzes with ze beautiful « pipole » Alain Ducasse, with Christophe Saintagne, Head of Restaurant Le Meurice -Alain Ducasse, have created a dawn to dusk concept, without interruption. Pop in for breakfast until 11.30. Then, say, order a Club Sandwich an M. Burger, Croque Monsieur, Beef Tartare. Afternoon tea ? Why not ? At lunch the menu stars two seasonal French products, at present organic milk-fed Agneau de Lait and Green Asparagus from Jérôme Galis in Vaucluse, Provence. Also consider, Chicken Fricassé, baby vegetables and morels mushrooms. Buttery sole meuniere Grenobloise (capers, parsley, lemon juice) a side of baby spinach leaves : Beef entrecôte, shallots, pommes de terre dauphine. Or, Monsieur Ducasse’s signature Cookpot. Inside the shiny hand-made pot a variety of ingredients, but, vegetables first! A healthy, popular, option on the menu of Ducasse restaurants world-wide. To finish, divinely decadent desserts by pâtissier Cédric Grolet : Vacherin : Strawberry Tart, Lime Souffle, Ice Cream. Dali’s spirit of adventure is alive and well at Le Meurice : “At the age of six I wanted to be a cook. At seven I wanted to be Napoleon. And my ambition has been growing steadily ever since.” Salvador Dali 1904-1989 Des Produits & Des Hommes, Le Dali – Le Meurice T : 01 44 58 10 44 228 avenue de Rivoli, 8th Menu 54€ + A La Carte M : Tuileries Open 7/7 Website Le Petit Retro « Maison Fondée 1904 » is emblazoned on the outside blind of this charming listed bistro, located just off Place Victor Hugo, in the same street as the excellent Marché Saint-Didier (Wednesday & Saturday). Since last year Le Petit Retro has new owners, Grégory Poitier and his wife Muriel Bonvicini. « We’re from the 16th arrondissment and, when I heard Petit Retro was for sale I bought it immediately, it was time for me to change jobs ! » explained Poitier,  a former TV journalist/producer. The Art Nouveau bistro has a handsome zinc bar, is decorated with mirrors and original tiles by Charles-Edouard Haviland. The shiny Victorian coffee machine, still in use, takes pride of place. Regular clients have their « ronde de serviette » and the white tuk-tuk style auto will fetch and deliver if you’re in the 16th, 17th or 7th arrondissements. « It means customers can drink what they like and not worry », grins Poitier. Wearing the whites, Miguel Gonzalez (ex-Café des Musées & Casa Olympe). His blackboard menu changes daily according to suppliers such as Joël Thiebault : www.boucheries-nivernaises.com – Bodega des Pyrénées, Charcuterie Bobosse :   Jean-Luc Poujauren’s freshly baked bread arrives at table, warm, in brown paper bags, spread with Bordier butter, without moderation. We liked : BOB (Best of Bistro) a traditional assortment of truffled œuf mayo, céleri remoulade, leek vinaigrette/ frit, grated carrot, lemon and coriander : Pata Negra : Planche de la Maison Bobosse : Croque-Messieurs, Comté, Cheddar, jambon fermier : Jolie Salade Niçoise : Fat white asparagus :  Mains of : Rognons de Veau, moutarde violette, pâtes fraîches.  Marrowbone : Ris de veau aux noisettes : Poulet Fermier VH, laque gingembre & citron de Menton : And, cherry on the gateau : Each day Vanessa the pâtissière makes a « dessert for two » Paris-Brest : Baba : Sweet ! Wine by the glass from 5-9€ Sancerre blanc : Moulis AOC No.2 Château de Maucaillou or from the wine-card. Book ahead, Petit-Retro’s a star, you read it here first ! 5 Rue Mesnil, 16th M : Victor Hugo T : 01 44 05 06 05 Shut Sunday Connaissez-vous Les Fées du Pâtissieres ? Deborah Levy and Susan Harb are « Cake Fairy Start-Ups » who found a niche market for their mini-pastry jewels, delicious spins on classic French favourites. Working with Eddie Benghanem (Executive Pastry chef at Le Trianon Palace, Versailles) each season produces a collection. At present about 12 melt in the mouth versions to taste : Make a Wish ! Les Fées Pâtissiéres 21 rue Rambuteau, 4th T : 01 42 77 42 15 From 3.50€ Shut Monday  
  • SUBSCRIBE
  • ALREADY SUBSCRIBED?

More in Le Dali, Les Fees Pâtissieres, Paris restaurants, Petit Retro, restaurant, Restaurant reviews

Previous Article Pierre Gagnaire : Artisan de la Truffe : La Gare & Terrace Mirabeau
Next Article Photo of the Week – June 13, 2014


Born in Hampton, Middlesex, UK, Margaret Kemp is a lifestyle journalist, based between London, Paris and the world. Intensive cookery courses at The Cordon Bleu, London, a wedding gift from a very astute ex-husband, gave her the base that would take her travelling (leaving the astute one behind) in search of rare food and wine experiences, such as the vineyards of Thailand, 'gator hunting in South Florida, learning to make eye-watering spicy food in Kerala;pasta making in a tiny Tuscany trattoria. She has contributed to The Guardian, The Financial Times Weekend and FT. How To Spend It.com, The Spectator, Condé Nast Traveller, Food & Travel, and Luxos Magazine. She also advises as consultant to luxury hotels and restaurants. Over the years, Kemp has amassed a faithful following on BonjourParis. If she were a dish she'd be Alain Passard's Millefeuille “Caprice d'Enfant”, as a painting: Manet’s Dejeuner sur l’herbe !