Say good-bye to Aux Amis, the short-lived restaurant of Jérôme Vigato (son of Jean-Pierre, starred chef at L’Apicius), which unfortunately never managed to establish a clientele. And say hello to the four friends who just took over the restaurant. The old decor is almost exactly the same– why change a good thing? The ground floor has a meat counter with a table d’hôtes that looks onto the open kitchen, while the upper floor boasts a spacious and comfortable dining room with a large picture window that affords a breathtaking view of the Cordeliers convent. A wine cellar and a fumoir are housed in the old refectory in the basement, where Robespierre wrote France’s famous national motto: “Liberté, égalité, fraternité”. The only notable change is the big meat-aging cabinet at the entrance to the restaurant with lovely cuts of meat on display. The menu isn’t exclusively meat-oriented, however, and features some eclectic dishes like the delicate egg parfait with lentils in vinaigrette and foie gras royale (e12) served as a starter. Then come a selection of beautifully prepared dishes and a wide array of meats – rib eye, sirloin, beef rib for two, thick veal cutlet (from e25 to e59) – served with your choice of sauce and garnish. To finish your meal, we highly recommend the astonishingly light salt-butter caramel cheesecake (e10). Special mention for the impressive wine list featuring a few good deals like the Châteauneuf du Pape 2010, Domaine Serguier, at e50 the bottle, and for the adorable waitress who we would more expect to find on the runway at fashion week rather than running from table to table at a restaurant.
Noon to 3pm and 6pm to midnight Closed Sunday Average price: €55
