Paris Bonheur

We visited on a wet Thursday evening, and even though we ran from the metro station around the square, we were still fairly damp by the time we arrived. Inside, we were warmly welcome and seated in the window.

We started our meal with a glass of cremant, because why not. After selecting our starters and mains, we asked the waiter for wine recommendations. We each had different starters and mains, which called for something that suited each dish.

While we were waiting for our starters, we were presented with a stack of home-made pretzels, and a cucumber gazpacho. I'm usually not a fan of the original tomato version, but this variation with cucumber and tzatziki was outstanding. The fresh cucumber with the yoghurt worked well, and little cubes of perfectly even cucumber added a bit of crunch. One of the best dishes we enjoyed this year.

For our starters, my wife had the fried squid and mussel salad, served with some sweet grilled vine tomatoes. I enjoyed the pan-fried girolle mushrooms and snails, finished with a vin jaune sauce. The sauce was rich and bound the dish together. Some crunchy croutons added some texture.

For her main, my wife ordered the steak, and this is where Paris Bonheur let us down a little. Although it was a good cut, it was sadly a little tough. The fries were really good, and came freshly cooked and in a generous portion — if only they had arrived with the steak as intended, rather than being served to an adjacent table. This error was very quickly noticed and rectified. I chose the smoked duckling with red fruits and beetroot as my main dish. The duck was well cooked, although in my opinion the skin should have been crispy. The red fruits added acidity, and the beetroot some welcome earthiness.

We did not have a dessert, as we were too full! Overall we'd thoroughly recommend this spot.

Homemade Pretzels

Cucumber and Tzaziki Gaspacho

Squid and Mussel Salad

Mushrooms and Snails

Duckling with Red Fruits and Beetroot