Vaudeville, paradise for shellfish lovers
That Paris is the most 'googled' city on the eve of Valentine's Day is an indisputable reality. And many will agree that a candlelight dinner is one of the most desirable dates on the agenda of any romantic getaway. Perhaps this moving circumstance has led to the City of Light, at the cost of giving shelter to lovers from around the world, to embody the perfect setting for the proliferation of hideouts dedicated to gastronomy with two candles.
It is true that falling in love suppresses the appetite, but this insane state only lasts for a while. When it comes time to regain consciousness, I consider that sharing a gastronomic evening symbolizes one of the most fascinating declarations of love. For those who dare to take a tour of the French capital, here are two spaces dedicated to gastronomy that are worth a visit, whether or not the diner is a coupled being . Although they share neither public nor specialties on the menu, they have in common a French atmosphere (read romantic) and a raw material that confirm the savoir-faire of those who are in charge of the Gallic kitchens.
The first is the Vaudeville restaurant (29 rue Vivienne), opposite the Stock Exchange building. Its walls display famous black and white portraits . The diners are working residents of the area whose conversations seem to fluctuate between the latest data on the French parquet and the cinematographic technique of a Godard inaugurating the Nouvelle Vague. But here, what knows about cinema is food. On the menu, a list of fresh seafood and fish that precede appetizers based on salted butter on crunchy rolls. This brasserie turns out a paradise for shellfish lovers : Burgundy escargots marinated in Chablis wine exceed all expectations and, aside from popular belief about the aphrodisiac properties of shellfish, the experience of their oysters with any of their white wines is prodigious.
The second gastronomic temple is located in the bohemian neighborhood of Montmatre. Le Chartier (7 rue du Faubourg, Montmartre) with two centuries of history, is a two-storey restaurant full of diverse diners. It may not be the most intimate and sophisticated option, but it is the most authentic and nostalgic . Don't be surprised if you find a line that extends a few numbers down the street. Perhaps it is because the main dishes on their menu do not exceed €13 or perhaps because their home cooking contains the essence of traditional French cuisine. Surrounded by infinite and gigantic mirrors that occupy all the walls , under dim lamps, we can easily travel back in time and land on a night typical of the 20s of the last century. Perhaps Marcel Proust, Henry Miller or a young Matisse were inspired by one of these wooden tables with paper tablecloths, only lit by a couple of candles.