La Poule au Pot

Famous and talented chef of his two-star Grand Restaurant and Top Chef jury member, not to mention at the head of the two Clover eateries in Paris, Jean-François Piège has finally fulfilled his childhood dream: to run a legendary location devoted to traditional “bourgeoise” cuisine. With the invaluable help of his wife Élodie, he has just taken over the iconic Poule au Pot in Les Halles district, a stomping grounds for night owls and lovers of bistro fare, for the restaurant was open from 7pm to 7am. They have thus given a new lease of life to the bistro that has seen its share of the showbiz, arts and political elite. Jean-François Piège didn’t alter the gorgeous retro setting of this 1930s establishment, he simply restored it to its former glory to highlight its attractive, original decor complete with grape cluster tapestries, a copper and wood counter, Art Nouveau drop-bead chandeliers, and Art Deco mosaic pillars with gold leaf tesserae. As for the menu, Piège poured all of his talent into creating one that measures up to his ambitions – and he did just that. At lunch and dinner, La Poule au Pot proposes a “bourgeoise” cuisine prix-fixe menu at €48 with Les Halles onion gratin or garden-fresh tomato salad with olives and tuna confit, followed by a main dish of pike quenelles in a crayfish nantua sauce or a tender ox cheek and carrot stew. A rum baba for dessert rounds the meal off nicely. Another option is the Poule au Pot prix-fixe menu for two, at €82 per person, which includes 12 snails served in their shells with escargot butter or a duck galantine with spiced aspic, followed by a Bresse chicken “poule au pot” and a floating island for dessert.

Noon to 2:15pm and 7pm to 11pm
Open daily
Average price: €70