Convivial eating in one among Paris’s most gorgeous landmarks
A number of years earlier than transferring completely to Paris in 2016, my household and I have been invited by a neighborhood good friend to lunch on the MiniPalais, a lately opened restaurant on the Grand Palais. Regardless of the title, there was nothing “mini” about it. Located behind the colonnades of the sprawling loggia on the neoclassical façade of the Grand Palais, and with a direct view of the Petit Palais, the setting was breathtaking— actually. Paris has many charming outside terraces for eating; this was in a unique league.
After changing into a resident right here, I discovered myself returning many times, primarily to experience the excessive of that magnificent setting. It was crushing to see it shut in 2020 because the five-year renovation of the Grand Palais bought underway.
Consequently, I couldn’t have been extra thrilled once I discovered that with the reopening of the Grand Palais this previous summer time, a successor to my previous favourite was being deliberate by the unique restaurant chain, Loulou Groupe. Named the Grand Café, and styled a “trendy Parisian brasserie,” my instant query was, wouldn’t it reside as much as its predecessor. Having now had the pleasure of eating there — in summer time, on the terrace — my opinion is an unqualified sure. For me, it fairly surpasses the unique spot in quite a lot of methods. It’s extra elegant and refined, with out being fussy, and the meals is positively extra thrilling and scrumptious (although considerably pricier).
The doorway to the Grand Café is within the Rotonde Clemenceau, near the Champs Elysées. That is on the reverse finish of the Grand Palais from the sooner restaurant, however the important thing Beaux-Arts architectural parts are nonetheless in place alongside each terraces. I had been notably keen on the unique mosaic friezes operating the size of the outside partitions, even earlier than studying their historical past. Designed by artist Louis Fournier, they symbolize the humanities all through totally different eras: Asian, Egyptian, Greek, Roman and Byzantine, Arab on the southern loggia; Medieval, Renaissance, and 17th, 18th, and 19th centuries embellishing that of the Grand Café.
Designer Joseph Dirand has properly left the outside area to talk for itself. By including just some complementary parts equivalent to wicker chairs and cozy banquettes with pale inexperienced upholstery set between pots of greenery, he has created an idyllic city backyard, très Belle Epoque. And this time the view consists of not simply the Petit Palais however the Champs Elysées as properly.
Inside the lofty eating room, because of the oversize home windows and intelligent placement of mirrors, those self same views can nonetheless be loved. The inside area, with its welcoming cocktail bar, musical podium for the reside jazz ensemble, curvilinear banquette seating, and vigorous, well-stocked oyster bar on the far finish, brings to thoughts a theatrical stage set. It may possibly really feel romantic and intimate, or bustling and animated.
I discussed above that I felt eating was even higher than beforehand and I stand by that assertion. The Grand Café is lucky to have the successful mixture of Benoît Dargère, Loulou Groupe’s govt chef and British bartender Colin Subject, 30-year veteran of the Hemingway Bar on the Lodge Ritz Paris, at its helm.
Seafood platter at Le Grand Café ©Oddur Thorisson
The menu, which is similar at lunch and dinner, is consistent with the trendy French brasserie idea, melding up to date French delicacies (foie gras de canard, quenelles de turbot, filet de boeuf au poivre, with nods to the Mediterranean (tomato, fig and buffalo mozzarella with Parma ham) and some positively extra up to date gadgets (lobster tempura with avocado, ginger and lemongrass). There’s a lengthy record of salads, the seafood bar is temping and lavish, and, in the event you’re a fan of traditional French desserts, you aren’t going to be dissatisfied.
In actual fact, it’s exhausting to consider something that can disappoint.
DETAILS
Le Grand Café
Entrée Rotonde Clemenceau,
1 place Clemenceau, eighth
Tel: +33 1 85 09 40 50
Open 7/7 from 12 midday to 2 am
The restaurant is accessible by elevator, however you will need to ask on the valet parking station.
Le Grand Café ©Oddur Thorisson
Lead photograph credit score : Le Grand Café ©Matthieu Salvaing
