Almost all shops and restaurants close on Sunday in Paris. It’s not a good day for visitors. Fortunately the hip and cute Le Refectoire stayed open. It’s located near Bastille off the blvd Richard-Lenoir where Marche Richard Lenoir (fresh fruits and vegetable market) held, in a residential neighbourhood that I like a lot. They don’t open for dinner until 8pm so we waited in a nearby park. I like the decor a lot, hip and playful but not too consciously.
They offer simple bistro food with a modern touch. Set menu is 28 euro for 3 courses. Good house white.
Freda’s first course: Tuna Tartar Springroll. A French Vietnamese fusion dish.
Freda’s 2nd course: Roasted Calf with Shitake mushroom Sauce. Tender and juicy~ The potato gratin is very good.
My first course: raw salmon (sashimi?). The fish is very fresh and the dipping sauce is yummy.
My 2nd course: Stew Beef (the server said “meat with bone” when explaining the menu ^^). A hearty country dish. Meat is very tender.
My friend’s 2nd course crisp Tuna with basil, her first course was a very good seafood salad (not in pix). Dessert: Small pot with milk & caramel butters dirty, very good, fresh and creamy!
I found this place on this restaurant guide book called Paris Miam Miam where they interviewed various Parisiennes on their favorite local eateries. Most of the places they covered are small down-to-earth local eateries that’re in parts of town that not much tourists ventured. It’s published by a Japanese publisher and it’s proven very useful. All the places I tried from there has that cozy local neighbourhood tourist-free vibe that I like.
Le Réfectoire (Tel) 01 48 06 74 85
80, bd Richard Lenoir, 75011 Paris
You rely on Japanese sources in your research a lot! Did you also check the michelin guide? Too mainstream?
Everything looks really good. I want to try that crispy tuna~
Yeah Japanese are good at research and info gathering, so always good to check their guide books!
That food guide Paris Miam Miam is bilingual (Japanese and French) and it’s sold in selected Paris shop too. So I guess it’s pretty trustworthy?
We use Pudlo Paris instead of Michellin, dunno why we didn’t check Michellin ^^;; just felt want something more “alternative”, haha… I know there are bistro type of places don’t want to be in the Michellin system. so it’s always good to check multiple sources.
Yeah many of the very good local neighborhood bistros we went to don’t want to be in Michellin system. We would have miss them. While Pudlo Paris is one French critic’s opinion, so it might not be trustworthy too. ^^;; But it’s a great reference for looking up address, phone no., opening time and what’s open on Sunday.
We also got this Japanese book on gourmet Paris but it’s more for people living there to buy everyday breads/cheese/wine and ingredients for cooking.
Hi there! I’m a foodie and I was absolutely overjoyed to have stumbled on your blog. The research and the places you’ve covered have been amazing. I will be going to Paris this Sunday and have marked up some of your recommendations. Thanks so much!
Hey Roey I’m glad you enjoy our blog. Hope you have a blast at Paris!