"Your money or your life", that's how the name of this whimsical little restaurant is loosely translated from French. The owner, the theaterical Patrice Tatard was once an architect, and decided to open this restaurant as a way to prepare steak and fries as it was meant to be. Patrice is a huge fellow, full of life and a strong, powerful tenor voice would sing along the traditional French songs whafting out of the sound system.
Located just a block away from the Paris Stock Exchange (also known as La Bourse...the play of words is cunning), the interior is small, rather cramped at times, though we escaped the crowd by arriving early...the restaurant opens at noon, and we were promptly there at 12.
The menu features several items, but for me, there is only one thing to order here...the steak and fries in a rich, creamy peppercorn sauce.
A fillet (coeur de beouf) is butterflied, and grilled to a perfect medium inside...I asked for medium rare, and the waitress recommended medium, saying that medium rare for them still is bloody, and well done spoils the meat. So I went with her recommendation of medium. When it was delivered, it was perfect:
The beef was grass fed...they didn't tell me, I knew. It was a bit, only the slightest bit tough...perhaps chewy might be a better description, no marbling. But bursting with flavour - the beefiness that comes from grass fed beef, and sufficiently tender to go down with little protest. The sauce was "oh la la" so beautifully creamy, that even though I usually prefer a huge marbled slab of beef done Chicago medium-rare, I didn't mind the sauce one bit...in fact enjoyed it a lot! The chef did not spare the butter or fat in the sauce. Full, rich, creamy, luxurious, and though the French might have another word for it, I say, "SHIOK".
The main attraction, of course, and the reason for this place's fame is the fries. Hand cut, and fried to a perfect, and I mean really, really mean perfect, crisp outside, smooth, creamy inside. Only possible if the potatoes are fried in suet (beef fat)...no sparing of the arteries here, but what a heavenly taste! Without a doubt, the best fries I have eaten.
Must try in Paris.
La Bourse ou la Vie
12 rue Viviene
Paris 75002
01.42.60.08.83
Open noon-10pm Mon-Fri.
Closed 1wk Aug & 1wk Dec
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9 comments:
No wonder the fries are named after the French!
Dip into a little bit of malt vinegar and voila!
Have to agree. As a pseudo connoisseur of frites, this was most definitely the BEST that I have tasted. This unanimously unseats what was previously my all-time best, savored at a small shop called Daglas' in Winnetka, CA.
On another note whilst adding on to Peter's praise was the the peppercorn sauce which to me looked too rich upon initial inspection. To my genuine and pleasant delight, it didn't overwhelm at all and instead superbly complemented our order.
A true "shiok" meal for the ages!! Thanks Peter!!
I must make it here next time! Near where I often stay too.
The best frites I have ever tasted were in Bruxelles at the Place Flagey. The sauce looks superb Peter. I usually smother the frites in sauce and use less on the steak itself.
This looks yummy !
Any idea if I went to paris the next time, do i need to place reservation before going ? Or I can get a seat if i just go early like u ?
Thanks
Wendy, I was told, its better to make a reservation, but if my experience was any to go by, appearing at 12 noon is safe enough. The crowd only started about 1245. Good luck.
Great shots and writeup Uncle Peter! The steak really goes with the fries in the dish. I can only imagine how it is to sample the real thing.
Hope to travel to Paris someday! Thanks for sharing!
Great writeup Peter! The steak and fries look ready to eat right off the computer screen. Hope one day to be able to sample. Hopefully in the near future. :)
T
oh la la indeed just from the pictures! Will be one of my to-go list when I visit Paris next time :)
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