Le Chateaubriand – Bonne Bistronomie


When I visited In de Wulf, Belgium, for the six hands dinner, I connected through Paris and had an extra night there before I returned to Copenhagen. Laurent, Gastros on Tour, and I drove back to Paris the day after the dinner event and arrived just in time for a nice lunch at 1* L’Arome. The restaurant was fully booked, but the kind staff set up an extra table for us in the middle of the room. The food was delicious and I understood why the restaurant and head chef Thomas Boullault is famous for the product quality they offer. But sitting in the middle of the room with people passing by all the time wasn’t too pleasant. So, instead of having tea/coffee at L’Arome, we crossed the Champs Elysée to take tea at the bar of the Four Seasons Hotel George V. It was the very first time I entered this opulent, high-ceilinged hotel with the posh Luis XIV interior (check out Adam’s post on Le Cinq, he has a stunning photo from the hotel and restaurant). One time, on my way to the ladies room, I peeped into the fancy dining hall of Le Cinq. Both Bo and Laurent have rambled on and on about this restaurant and the service there, and I know I must visit sometime to experience it myself.

Anyway, this post is actually about the completely different restaurant, namely Le Chateaubriand! I had dinner there on September 22nd.

First time I heard of Le Chateaubriand was from René Redzepi at one of my noma visits. Then a few months later I read Luxeat‘s opinion about the restaurant. Food Snob has been there as well and reading his post and Iñaki Aizpitarte’s life story makes me think of what I know about René being a rebel as a kid and full of energy not easy to control.

Le Chateaubriand is a bistro, but a special one. It’s classified as a bistronomique which means “gastronomique bistro fare at economique prices” according the SAS’ flight magazine Scanorama September edition. Not everyone likes the place. There is just one menu and it changes every day – as the staff likes to challenge themselves, the rumour has it. It’s impressing to think that the head chef Iñaki Aizpitarte is self-tought. By the way he wasn’t in the restaurant, unfortunately, the night I went. In fact Iñaki Aizpitarte took part in the Cook it Raw event where I tasted one of his dishes for the first time. It impressed me that he was on par with some of the top chefs in the world and it intrigued me to visit Le Chateaubriand first chance I got.

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The interior is simple with small wooden tables without table cloths and put closely to each other. The atmosphere is light and lively and the staff has a smitten enthusiasm that makes me think that running this restaurant is exactly what they would like to do.

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When I arrived Laurent was there already, chatting with the staff at the bar over a glass of wine. We got seated under the big blackboard on the wall listing all the owners’ favourite wines. Both the evening’s menu and the wine list were printed on a piece of paper. You get 5 courses for 45€. It’s a bargain.

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Lightly smoked salmon with carrots’ pure, cauliflower and beets

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Grilled squid with tomatoes, yummy

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Cod with ceps, the least interesting dish of the evening, though still nice

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Tender and rare-cooked Boeuf d’ Hugo Limousin with pack choi and mini mais

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Red fruits and chantilly

All the dishes were very pure, which I really liked. They were fresh, juicy and tasty. You could identify the products and sense their original flavours. At the same time, the plates looked beautiful and colourful and I found that very appealing.

We got cheeses as well, Comte as far as I recall and a goat cheese which was excellent. I rarely eat goat cheese, I don’t like it that much. But this particular one was delicious and not too strong in the goat milk taste.

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We drank a Jean-Marc Brignot La Combe from Jura, which has a scent that resembles Sherry. The scent has an oxidization note to it. Anyhow, it was a great wine, balanced, huge aroma, fruit and a long after-taste.

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Looking at this photo it’s evident that the staff is charming. They weren’t too busy to come and chat at our table and exchange opinions about the wine selection.

I like Le Chateaubriand for the concept and the atmosphere – and for the food of course.

Close to midnight I was again back at my hotel and hurried to bed as I very early the next morning was going back to Copenhagen with the SK1568 Scandinavian Airlines flight taking off at 7am.

And just like that, it was the end of my Parisian 48h jaunt. What a great trip. Thanks Laurent!

Le Chateaubriand
129, avenue Parmentier
11th arrondissement.
Tel: +33 1 43 57 45 95

20 Responses to “Le Chateaubriand – Bonne Bistronomie”


  • Thanks so much Yin! 🙂

  • great report Trine – thank you. I was there this time last year and had a fabulous meal, although my photos were completely rubbish so thank you for showing us how to do it! Look forward to hearing of more Paris and Stockholm reports – but no London trips? 😉

    will be in touch soon.

  • Hehe, thank you, D Buddig! I hope I’ll return again sometime soon. So many tempting places in Paris 😉

    Best
    Trine

    PS. next up is a lovely place in Stockholm…

  • Wow what a great review! Sounds like an awesome trip You had in France. Can’t wait for more!

    Best

    D Buddig

  • Thank you, u.e. Dainty, what a very good term for describing the food. You’re right!

  • @ Trine: Lovely, lovely report as usual. The food seems so elegant and dainty, despite the restaurant’s name.

  • Lets just assume that Bruce likes good food…to keep it on subject…

    I dont dare to tell you or you will think I am either crazy or a professional stalker lol. I shook his hand after the show in 1996, I met him outside his hotel in 99 in Berlin, and got my first autograph,
    met him in George V 2005, spoke brifly, got a second autograph. Met him in George V 2006, had a real conversation and photo of him with my wife and Oscar, had myself a photo of Mrs Springsteen and me. Met him in Dublin 2006 where he signed the George V photo. Missed him on several other occasions, but have been lucky to have nice chats and breakfsts with his inner circle. And all this I can say has happened in a relaxed atmosphere…I do kinda respect his “private” life you know, and off the stage, the initiative has to come from him or his. I have seen bad cases of fans approaching at all cost, but even then he is a good sport about it normally. Oh I forgot, I was in the bar with him after the show in Oslo in 2008, but too many fans there making it impossible to really enjoy that moment. But he sat down and talked with the fans at the table next to us…3 of which were 3 blonde Norwegian females..lol.

    Back to very good food…off to Babette soon.

  • Ah, thanks for the explanation about Bruce, “Gastronaut”. Have you only met him at le George V, or also elsewhere?
    I don’t think I can ever afford to stay there. 🙂

  • The 3 star book are bz the same authors as the the red one that came out 2 years ago. As far as I can judge from here…the review of some of the French restaurants are the same. Its still fantastic and comes around 100 eur (800 DKK).

    As for Bruce and George V. Those were the days, the fat years. I dont think they will be back but I shall treasure the memory. As for the bar in George V. This was my first experience in this fantastic hotel. The hours after the 2005 Bruce show – the with a fantastic service minded and story telling young bar keeper. While eating their George V Clubsandwich with lobster, sipping Puligny Fume, and later Alsacien white beer….what a night. I think I have stayed there 4 times, enjoyed/encountered Bruce twice, and not to forget Le Cing twice as well, with the fantastic legendary Eric Beaumard.

  • @laurent, thank you for making it all possible!!

  • “Gastronaut”, Liked your Bruce joke! When are you planning to return to Le V? No, haven’t seen the new 3* book yet.

    Stephane, go with Mr L! 😉

    Adam, yes I’m intrigued! The bar isn’t as fancy as the lobby, though. I’m now looking forward to your noma and MR posts 😉

  • Lovely review Trine and you pics are f…g good !! Geez, i’ll show this to Inaki, Fred and the guys, they’ll love their face 🙂

    I can’t support you more regarding this table, becoming one of my favourite in Paris. For 45 euros, it’s just a bargain indeed.

    @Adam : i’ve been there 12 times this year, maybe can we have together my 13th meal there – why not after a lunch at l’Agapé ? 🙂

  • Glad you took tea at Le Cinq … the entire lobby and dining room areas are just gorgeous. Never been to the bar though … kind of intimidates me :-\.

    I have to stop by Chateaubriand … your meal looks fantastic. Thanks for sharing !

  • Je n’ai pas eu que des bons retours, va falloir que je m’y attable.

  • Hi Trine,

    Glad you finally made it to Le Cinq, if only for a peep. Was Bruce there ? (joke).

    By the way…have you bought the new Danish book about 3 stars European Restaurants ? Its grand.

  • Ha! Boring, ineffective summer truffle, my dear…

  • @adrian, they do seem to get a lot of attention must be doing something right since they keep getting it? 😉

    @Food Snob, you got fresh truffles. I didn’t. Selv tak.

  • your menu looks better than mine.
    tak.

  • Redzepe lives in the middle of nowhere. Inaki is stronger as a media-friendly pretty boy than in the kitchen. That said I have always had fun dinners at the Chateaubriand, but I think they get too much attention.

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