Sterling M.
Yelp
The evening started with an error on my end. I guided our party to the wrong restaurant. A fair warning to anyone planning to dine at Le Cornichon... There are two Le Cornichons in Paris. Make sure you visit the location on 34 Gassendi Street. When I realized the mistake I phoned the correct restaurant and apologized letting them know we'd be 30 minutes late and to request they hold our table. They obliged and stated that it's a common occurrence.
When we arrived at the restaurant the first person to welcome us was Chef Sebastien Dagoneau. Chef and his team offer "neo-bistro" French cuisine around products grown with respect for the seasons and the environment, always looking for creativity and beautiful taste sensations. The closest comparison I can think of is the American "farm to table". Restaurants in the USA that focus on local grown and raised within season ingredients.
The inside of the restaurant is quite tight. Be prepared to be close to your neighbors, scoot past other guests to get to your table. But once seated you feel like you are in a little community of fellow diners.
After reviewing the menu for wine we ordered a bottle of Laurent-Perrier Cuvee Rose. It was refreshing and the perfect wine to toast a dinner in Paris. The kitchen sent over a delightful offering of a chickpea flat bread, Socca, cut into strips. It was a fantastic companion to the bright champagne.
For my first dish I ordered the Foie Gras with Granny Smith apples and a hibiscus, apple, and ginger compote. The creamy and fatty foie gras paired with the champagne bubbles. I strongly believe that Foie Gras and champagne are a must while in Paris.
For the main dish my wife and I decided to share the Rib of Beef and potatoes for two people.
Shortly after ordering Chef Sebastien reappeared with the Rib of Beef. It was the largest steak I've ever seen. Definitely big enough for more than two people.
With some serious beef coming it was time to order a bottle of red wine. Looking through the list something caught my eye. Domaine Trapet - Gevrey-Cfhambertin 2018 - Red Wine. Chef Sebastien took my request and smiled ear to ear. He decanted the wine, smelled the dark red juice, looked at me with a smile and nodded. It was going to be the perfect companion to the beef. The wine punched raspberry, cherry, leather, oak, vanilla. Everything I look for in a fantastic French red. Compelled to have others experience this amazing wine I offered some to the table next to us. A group of locals. Chef Sebastien saw me do so and smile then proceeded to tell the table it was a very nice wine. The table shared the glass and we struck up a conversation about Paris, America, wine and food. A fun exchange over fantastic food and wine. Something we all can agree on.
The rib of beef arrived. It was so big it barely fit on the serving tray. The cook of the steak leaned a little closer to rare than medium. But the quality and taste of the steak was of such quality it didn't matter. The roasted potato accompanying the steak were perfectly roasted and rich and creamy.
For desert we ordered one of each for the table. The Exotic Fruits - fresh fruit on a creamy bed of rice pudding, meringue shards and mango sorbet. Crispy Cabbage - choux pastry filled with bourbon vanilla cream and a caramel sauce. St Domingo Chocolate - souffle with chocolate and ginger ganache and diced roasted pear.
One of the things that we admire about French deserts, besides being the upper echelon of pastry skills, is the lower level of sugar and sweetness. Often in America deserts can be overly sweet. We found the deserts at Le Cornichon to be just the right amount of sweet.
To accompany our deserts Chef Sebastien sent over some fortified wine by Domaine Des Schistes - maury la cerisale. A bold and sweet desert wine with cherry, dark berries and chocolate notes. A lovely way to finish out the evening. The wine had many characteristics of a port but much more approachable. It was a wine you wanted to keep enjoying through nose and sipping while enjoying conversation and taking in the environment of the French bistro.
If you find yourself in Paris I highly recommend Chef Sebastiens Le Cornichon. It is by far the best meal I've ever had in Paris. When my wife and I return we will definitely be dining there again.