[Paris] Le Comptoir du Relais (2)

Le Comptoir du Relais

Add: 9 Carrefour de l’Odéon 75006 Paris
Tel: +33 (0)1 44 27 07 97
Hours: 12~3pm, 8pm~1am
Price: €35~55
Visited: Apr 2013

Le Comptoir du Relais is one of the first restaurants I went to after arriving in Paris (review here), and it remains an easy go-to place for the following reasons: 1. good food, 2. opens on Sunday, 3. no reservations needed for lunch. Here are some snapshots from a recent visit.

Foie gras de canard des Landes de la maison Paris aux pruneaux (€16). The foie gras is delicious, but what makes this dish stand out is the accompanying creamed prune, its sweetness a perfect complement to the foie gras.

Os à moelle gratiné, petits pois et feves, caviar de hareng (€11). Bone marrow, peas and fava beans, herring caviar, self-explanatory.

Continue Reading "[Paris] Le Comptoir du Relais (2)"

[Paris] Le Comptoir du Relais

Le Comptoir du Relais

Add: 9 Carrefour de l’Odéon 75006 Paris
Tel: +33 (0)1 44 27 07 97
Hours: 12~3pm, 8pm~1am
Price: €35~55
Visited: Aug 2012

Le Comptoir du Relais simultaneously appeared on all the “must eat” lists I received from fellow foodies before coming to Paris, so when a friend suggested that we meet there for lunch, I readily agreed. This small bistro by chef Yves Camdeborde is at the heart of Saint-Germain-des-Prés and very popular – apparently you have to make reservations weeks or even months in advance for the prix fixe dinner – but fortunately lunch is open for walk-ins, so we arrived early to snatch a table.

Tight seatings, literally elbow-to-elbow, is something I’ve quickly became accustomed to after moving to Paris.

A glass (or more) of wine with every meal – yet another habit that I’ve happily adapted.

Our first entrée was carpaccio de tête de veau, façon ravigote (€18), which translates to “carpaccio of calf’s head with ravigote sauce”. Now, “tête de veau” is something that many people might find revolting, as it is literally the face of a baby calf with the skin, hair, and fat removed. What we had at Le Comptoir was tender and flavorful, perfect with the slightly acidic ravigote sauce.

Continue Reading "[Paris] Le Comptoir du Relais"