Le Savarin is one of a small empire of excellent restaurants in Paris’s ninth arrondissement, collectively known as the La Pantruchoise (the others are La Pantruche, Caillebotte and Le Coucou). I was quite taken with Le Savarin when it was known as Belle Maison (same owners) and specialized in fish. I have now been twice to its new iteration. Each time, the food was delicious, the decor simple and the service charming. The word pantruche, by the way, is old-timey slang for “Paris” or “Parisian.”
During this last visit, on a hot evening, we sat on the terrace, pleasantly situated on a side street with little traffic, where we were lucky to have a breeze fanning us all evening.
The starters were outstanding. I had the cold ajo (garlic) soup with lots of little surprises inside: herbes de Provence, raisins (they tasted rum-soaked), nuts and celery. The warm chickpea fritter sitting on top was pure joy – I’d rather eat that than bread any day.
The other starter, two generous fillets of red mullet marinated in pastis, was beautifully accompanied by fennel salad, sun-dried tomatoes, melon pickles and a sauce made with fennel and green melon.
Hot as it was, we were still tempted by the pork chops for two. The big hunk of meat came with wonderful matchstick fries and sucrine (gem lettuce) salad. The pork, cooked to a pink turn, was super tender quite fatty, but with “good fat,” full of flavor.
Next time I go to Le Savarin, I will try the vol-au-vent. I have long been on a quest for a good modern version of this old-fashioned dish, but I am often disappointed. This one, stuffed with langoustines, looked mighty good.
Well satisfied after the first two courses, we only ordered one dessert to share. We regretted that decision as soon as we tasted the dark-chocolate mousse, dolled up with Greek yogurt cream and chocolate-praline crumble, Both of us wished we had our own, but we valiantly abstained from ordering another.
When you want to be assured of a great meal in an enjoyable setting, go to one of La Pantruchoise’s four restaurants. Although I have not yet been to Le Coucou, I am confident that it will be up to the high standards of the other three, all of them so Parisian.
See our Favorite Restaurants by Arrondissement page to find a good restaurant in the neighborhood where you want to eat.
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