Paris restaurants
with old-world charm

by Julie Baker

An old Italian saying states that couples are divided into two categories: those who celebrate Saint Valentine’s Day each year, and those who celebrate it each day. Below are some restaurants where Valentine’s can be a daily event.

Pierre Au Palais Royal 10 rue de Richelieu, 1er, M° Louvre-Palais Royal, tel: 01 42 96 09 17, closed Sat lunch and Sun. With a warm, charming decor highlighted by beautiful still lifes, discreet service and a hushed clientele of businessmen and politicians during the day, celebrities and couples at night, this is the intimate Paris restaurant of your dreams. Better still, as it is entered via a lush flower shop that is actually part of the restaurant, it makes a perfect setting for Valentine’s Day. Presided over by Jean-Paul Arabian, one of the great personalities of the Parisian culinary scene, the kitchen proffers traditional classics rendered with great attention and authority, such as our magnificent foie gras, served in perfectly cooked slices and accompanied by succulent glazed figs. We also enjoyed one of the house specialties, the light, airy and freshly prepared pike quenelles served in a nantua crayfish sauce. The pan-fried scallops were likewise excellent although the accompanying endive was a touch bitter. Among the small selection of desserts, the superb Grand Marnier soufflé justly has pride of place.

Federico Ristorante 36 av Georges V, 8e, M° Georges V, tel: 01 40 70 10 49, closed Satlunch and Sun. Italians are famed for their love of romance, and for their fine cuisine, so why not combine the two with your amante. With lemon walls and rich blue carpet, this pretty Italian restaurant offers elegant place settings, generously-spaced tables, intimate lighting and a lavish array of regional Italian dishes — with an eye on the season and the market — and an extensive list of Italian wines that host Nicola Brancaro will gladly navigate for you. We were extremely pleased with our Sardinian Valli di Porto Pino, a smooth yet well-bodied light red. Although tempted by the wonderful-looking Italian antipasti displayed on a central service table, we opted for the generous salad of tiny marinated baby octopus simply served with finely chopped parsley, lemon and olive oil, and a perfect plate of tender artichokes braised with mint and a hint of garlic. For a main course the seemingly simple tagliatelle with freshly-shaved black truffles was a sublimely perfumed yet subtle dish, followed by a classic tiramisu.

L’Espadon Ritz Hotel, 15 pl Vendôme, 1er, M° Tuilleries, tel: 01 43 16 30 80, open daily. For those out to really impress their dates, there are few places more appropriate than the elegant dining room of the most famous hotel in the world. Revitalized under the caring attention of Chef Michel Roth, L’Espadon has recently re-emerged as one of the premier establishments in the city. For Valentine’s Day, the restaurant is proposing a sumptuous special champagne menu for 230 euros that includes such delicacies as a duo croustillant of scallops and truffles, and milk-fed veal. Couples will be serenaded by violinists and harpists. Those who celebrate Saint Valentine’s every day can take advantage of the restaurant’s well-priced lunch menu available on week days for 56.50 euros.

Fahr El Dine 30 rue de Longchamp, 16e, M° Iéna tel: 01 47 27 90 00, open daily. A traditional Lebanese feast involves hospitality, sharing and abundance, all in large supply at this gastronomic Lebanese restaurant. The caramel and coffee interior, enchanting whirr of songbirds and traditional Lebanese music all evoke a slightly exotic world, and make a romantic change for those who wish to travel in each other’s company over dinner together. We started by sharing the mixed cold hors-d’œuvres, a large platter that combined all of the classics of Lebanese fare, including hummus, tabbouleh, fresh marinated cheeses and stuffed vine leaves, then ordered a selection of the hot entrées, including an excellent spiced Lebanese sausage, and Lebanese “pizzas,” which were delicious tiny discs of meat, tomato and pine nuts. Although lesser appetites could easily stop there, we soldiered on, sampling the charcoal grilled chicken with lemon which was tender and moist and the marinated lamb, perfectly accompanied by a rich Lebanese Ksara Reserve du Couvent red, finishing with an assortment of characteristic pastries, a gracious end to a memorable meal.

Restaurant La Truffière 4 rue Blainville, 5e, M° Cardinal Lemoine, tel: 01 46 33 29 82, closed Mon. Located in a 17th century building just a stone's throw away from the place de la Contrescarpe, this beautiful restaurant with its elegant silverware and superb service is one of the most atmospheric and romantic on the Left Bank. Huge oak beams, leaning, cream-colored walls and cut-stone vaulted cellars speak of the past, while unusual floral decorations and world music lend just the right touch of individuality. Smooth lobster bisque was followed by a hot roasted prawn as an amuse-bouche and then a salad of shaved Parmesan, roquette and truffles, a wonderful combination of texture and flavors. Prized as aphrodisiacs, truffles figure highly on the menu, as the restaurant’s name suggests, and we were particularly impressed by the excellent beef fillet, served with an intensely-flavored samosa of potatoes and truffles and a morilles mushroom sauce. Truffles are even highlighted in the dessert menu, where they perfume a diced mango sabayon which was presented in a spectacular chocolate ship complete with white chocolate sails.

Le Coupe Chou 3 impasse Chartière, 5e, M° Maubert Mutualité, tel: 01 46 33 68 69, open daily. Everything about this restaurant, from the little entrance that opens like a well-kept secret onto a room scented by wood smoke from the huge, crackling fireplace to the friendly service, is captivating and romantic. Located on a tiny medieval passageway not far from La Sorbonne, the restaurant is made up of an extraordinary group of charming rooms dating from the 14th to the 16th centuries. Lead windows, exposed stone, period furniture and hand-made floor tiles create an irresistible dining atmosphere perhaps unique in Paris. The kitchen revolves around the classics, often with innovative touches, and there are subtle references to medieval-style cuisine, such as an admirable duck terrine complemented by a lush compote of onions with cassis. Our magret de canard, presented with simmered peaches and a superb potato galette, was tender and perfectly-cooked as was the rack of lamb served with mint. We found the tarte tatin accompanied by a side order of crème fraîche a scrumptious and soothing dessert.