I am here to testify that there is more to the gastronomic offerings of the 13th arrondissement than Asian restaurants of various stripes. One non-Asian gem is Monaco, once a venerable but declining café, now a spacious, light-filled café/restaurant with a colorful new decor, good food and friendly service.
The new incarnation of Monaco was discovered by my friend Susan, who lives in the arrondissement. She has made it her local for both coffee breaks and meals, and has befriended all of the servers as well as the new owner, Pierre Marfaing, who also owns the Café de Mars in the 8th arrondissement. He has retained a few of the former café’s attributes, such as as the terrazzo floor.
The menu offers limited but well-thought-out choices, with lots of of seasonal vegetables and meat, fish and interesting vegetarian options (e.g., a main-course lentil salad with fennel, datterini tomatoes, strawberries and feta cheese). Snacks are available to satisfy between-meal hunger, along with games like chess and pinball (a relic of the former café) to help pass the time.
Our lunch started off very satisfactorily with, for two of us, first-of-the-season asparagus, cooked just right, smothered in mâche (lamb’s lettuce) and augmented with a lovely sauce of lemon and aged Comté.
Another friend, Anne, started with grilled zucchini with kiwi, wild garlic and flax seeds, an unusual combination she found highly pleasing.
All that wonderful greenery was followed, for two of us, by delectable thick lamb chops, served atop a pile of shredded carrots and celeriac with a sauce made with pistachios and anchoïade.
Susan went for the dish of the day: fish and chips made with lieu jaune (pollack) and served with big, crispy fries and a wonderful tartar sauce. She found the batter to be a bit undercooked, but enjoyed all the rest.
For dessert, we shared two exceedingly fine treats: chocolate ganache with purée of coffee and yuzu candy, as rich and delicious as it sounds, and a luscious caramel brûlée tart with crème fraîche.
Monaco is a great addition to this fascinating quarter, where skyscraping apartment buildings alternate with cozy neighborhoods of small houses with gardens. After lunch, we took a relaxing walk through the beautiful little Square René Le Gall, located on the former Île des Singes (Island of Apes), which was once surrounded by the odorous (because lined with tanneries), now-covered-over Bièvre River. The rocaille decorations on some of the walls, representing the four seasons and various birds, were created by the sculptor Maurice Garnier. It’s a highly recommended spot for sightseeing and digestive purposes after a good meal.
See our Favorite Restaurants by Arrondissement page to find a good restaurant in the neighborhood where you want to eat.
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