The restaurant À La Renaissance has undergone a successful rebirth, from charmingly old-fashioned hundred-year-old neighborhood bistro to charmingly old-fashioned but spiffed-up, trendy café/bistro full of mostly young people enjoying simple, excellent dishes prepared by chef Min Wou Choi, formerly of Le Dauphin.
The first thing you notice on entering, unfortunately, is not the pretty decor (classic wine-red banquettes and booths, brass rails, large mirrors, marble-topped bar, etched glass), but the excessive noise level, even at the early dinner hour (for Paris restaurants) of 7:30pm. My friend Terry and I quickly resigned ourselves to shouting at each other for the rest of the evening.
That’s a shame, because everything else is great here. The two servers were smiley and quick to respond, and the food was a treat.
The chef does not go mad making zhuzhed-up dishes, but instead offers superb, perfectly cooked ingredients. A wonderful example was the starter of scallops with chanterelles. The scallops were flash-cooked to the ideal state of succulence (what could be worse than overcooked scallops?), while the tiny mushrooms added a touch of umami without overwhelming the delicate flavor of the shellfish.
As for Terry, she went straight for the spinach as soon as her main course of turbot was set before her and immediately claimed it to be the best she had ever eaten, without the slightest trace of grittiness or bitterness. But she also loved the fish and its bisque-like sauce.
I had ordered the vol-au-vent, being a fan of this old-fashioned, rarely seen dish. This was a vegetarian version, and, although I missed the usual ingredients of chicken or fish, which would have provided extra flavor and texture, it was perfect in every other way, from the crisp puff pastry to the creamy sauce, with flavorful winter vegetables (perhaps a bit too heavy on the turnips, but the mushrooms were welcome) cooked al dente. Vegetables are obviously a priority for this chef, and he has the magic touch with them.
The restaurant offers four starters and five main courses but only two desserts (plus cheese, of course). Neither the floating island nor the Mont Blanc seemed tempting – the former can be rather boring and the latter has never appealed to me, but we decided to share the Mont Blanc anyway. We were very glad we did. It was just right, moderately sweet, with whipped cream and chestnut cream piled on top of pound cake in perfect proportions. A fine finish to a lovely meal.
I’d unhesitatingly say “go” if it weren’t for the decibels. Now that À La Renaissance has been reborn, let’s hope the new owners will make the renaissance complete by finding a way to preserve our eardrums.
See our Favorite Restaurants by Arrondissement page to find a good restaurant in the neighborhood where you want to eat.
Favorite
The place is a gem. Like you, I appreciate an old-fashioned dish, and their os à moëlle was glorious. We sat outside last time I went, so noise was not an issue, thank goodness.
Thanks for your comment, Mary!