Timeless Bistro Cooking at La Regalade Saint-Honoré, Paris

We've been dining at La Regalade for as long as we've been coming to Paris. Back in the 90s we would hop on Metro Line 4 and make the journey out to Porte d'Orléans to eat at La Regalade's original location on Avenue Jean Moulin in the 14th Arrondissement, just steps away from the city's southern boundary and next door to an all-night laundromat. In those days, founding chef Yves Camdeborde was in the kitchen turning out hearty dishes from southwestern France. We would eagerly secure reservations weeks in advance to dive into the new bistronomie cuisine at an affordable price, alongside crowds of cheerful Parisians.

A Rainy Journey Through Paris

The main dining room of La Regalade Saint-Honore in Paris, photo by Mark Craft

Chef Yves went on to other projects and turned the chef's apron over to Bruno Doucet, who quickly established his own cuisine, eventually moving the restaurant into the center of Paris on Rue Saint-Honoré. On a cold, rainy day in May we decided that a cozy, long lunch would be the right play, and nothing is cozier than dishes like Chef Bruno's roasted, caramelized pork: poitrine de cochon caramélisée de chez Ospital.

Our journey involved taking the #69 bus from Rue Saint Dominique. When we arrived at our local bus stop, the electronic sign told us the bus would be another fifteen minutes. That's a long time to stand around in bone-chilling rain, so we decided to walk to the next stop along the route. Only a few minutes into our walk we heard the sound of an approaching bus and turned around to see the #69 heading to the next stop. With a burst of energy we didn't know we had in us we ran at full speed, maneuvering puddles and weaving through crowds, to catch the bus just in time.

Pont des Arts sans lovelocks, photo by Mark Craft

We disembarked at Pont des Arts, to our ongoing joy of seeing the bridge free of the love locks that once defaced it. Looking below the bridge, we experienced another thrill of pleasure at the transformation of the river banks from car-filled speedway to the pedestrian-friendly spaces of the new Parc Rives de Seine. What a momentous thing to have witnessed in our lifetime.

Warm Welcome & Savory Delights

Pork terrine and cornichons at La Regalade, photo by Mark Craft

We strolled the Saint-Honoré quartier until the cold wet weather became too much, pushing us to take a chance and arrive at La Regalade earlier than our 12:30 lunch reservation. Luckily, the restaurant immediately welcomed us into its cozy, rustic ambiance — a long and narrow room with rows of tables for two on either side of a center aisle. A host promptly seated us, a comfort from the chilly outdoors.

At that moment only one other table was occupied, but soon more guests started trickling in until by 1 PM the room was completely filled. It's a neverending delight to enjoy a classic French meal on a cold afternoon in such a distinctly Parisian atmosphere. In a Regalade tradition that hasn't changed since Avenue Jean Moulin, a free starter soon arrived to our table — thick slabs of pork terrine, cornichons, and crisp, dark bread.

Nowadays, La Regalade Saint-Honoré offers a beautiful 3-course lunch menu priced at a mere fifty-five euros. Our dining experience began with bouillon des pois. Served in a pristine white soup bowl embellished with crunchy croutons, tiny cubes of cheese, and delicate chives, the fragrant pea soup was poured ceremoniously at our table. A touch of fleur de sel was the perfect addition to enhance and elevate the flavors of this delicious dish.

For the main course, cabillaud (cod) seared, with asparagus and a light curry emulsion. The fish was expertly cooked, just perfect — firm, white flesh that flaked with the touch of a fork. Our other plat was rabbit, which looked and even tasted very much like a beef stew. For wine, we started with a glass of champagne and then a red Saint Joseph from the northern Rhone. It was a beautiful continuation, as they say in France.

Another Parisian Lunch to Remember

The rabbit plat at La Regalade Saint-Honore, photo by Mark Craft

Our table was nicely situated to give us an overview of the dining room. To our left was a young, handsome blonde couple from a Nordic country who who ordered three entrées (starters), all fish related. No wine, no dessert. To our right was another pair, the man speaking English, the woman French. We later learned that she was from Switzerland and he from Scotland — English was their language of communication.

Desserts were an incredible tarte of mousseaux du chocolate served in a chocolate shell, and clafoutis aux cerises, a classic French dessert veritably bursting with fat, juicy cherries. The cherries are kept whole, unpitted, and baked in a buttered casserole covered with a thick batter.

The previous week we had eaten a very disappointing meal at the newly-revived restaurant Laurent in the 8th where, for example, we had two dreadful desserts that were twenty-five euros each. At La Regalade it was a relief to find that, nearly thirty years later, Chef Bruno is still able to serve great food at an affordable price.

Dessert plates whisked away, the finale was a housemade financier, very well done, no trace of oiliness, but fresh and dense just as it should be.

Paris Looked Brighter, Even in the Rain

Arc de Triomphe du Carrousel in the rain", photo by Mark Craft

After an incredible lunch at La Regalade Saint-Honoré, Paris in the weather was no longer daunting. Restored by the rich and satisfying experience of a classic three-course lunch, the city looked brighter, even in the rain.