Do you remember those complimentary magazines in the seat-back pocket on airplanes? I miss those, don’t you? Several years ago, I read an article about the Bouillons of Paris. Intrigued, I tore out the article, and then never went. That is, until last month when I decided it was time for a Bouillon tour. Every Tuesday in November, I visited a different Bouillon.
So what’s a Bouillon?
Bouillons (beef stew in French) are turn-of-the-century restaurants that originally catered to the working class. They serve traditional French dishes at a very reasonable price. But although the prices are economical, Bouillons do not skimp on decor. Of course not, this is France, and they opened in the late 1800s/early 1900s -the peak of Art Nouveau.
For generations, Bouillons have been beloved by locals and tourists alike. They are open 365 days a year from 11:30 until midnight, and they do not take reservations. This policy means you often have to line up to get in. Unless you’re a table-for-one. That was my experience anyway. I was moved right to the front and then promptly escorted to my seat… at a two-top table with a complete stranger, also party of one.
Surprising and a little awkward, but Kenny (from China) and I shared a three-course meal together and had a great time.
In bouillons, the waiters, dressed in black suits and white aprons, write your order right on the table. This makes it easy for them to quickly add up your bill at the end.
If they can read it.
Somewhere on there, it says “wild boar” which is what I ordered.
The most well-known Bouillon is Bouillon Chartier, which has two locations: Grands Boulevards and Montparnasse. I went to both.
Kenny and I dined at their Grands Boulevards location. In fact, Kenny dined here two nights in a row, chose this restaurant for his final meal in Paris, AND ordered two entrees. So I guess Kenny would strongly recommend Bouillon Chartier on the Grand Boulevards to anyone visiting Paris.
I chose it because it is the oldest and the original of the two. It opened in 1896. But mostly, I wanted to visit this one because of these cubbies.
I read about these charming cabinets that used to hold their regulars’ napkins.
I just wonder who washed them?
The following week, I ventured to Montparnasse with two of my flying partners. We waited in line for quite a while, while I noted the advantages of being a party of one. But, of course, I enjoyed my company even if they did not enjoy their meals. But really, it was their fault. One ordered the only vegetarian dish on the menu: dry pasta with assorted veggies on top. It looked terrible, and she hardly touched it. My other flying partner ordered her steak frites “pink”. I was worried about that and rightly so. The French already love to undercook their steak, so if you say you want it pink, you can count on it to be dripping blood red. It was so rare that she also barely ate any. But they both loved the french fries, and I loved what I ordered: oeuf dur mayonnaise (deviled eggs) and beef bourguignon (beef stew cooked in red wine). Yummy.
And we all agreed that the restaurant was gorgeous.
However, my favorite bouillon of the tour is hands down, Bouillon Julien. This restaurant is an Art Nouveau lover’s dream.
It is also not crowded. That could be because it’s not in a trendy or posh area of town. Neighborhoods change over a century. Who knows what it was like when the restaurant opened in 1906, but it seems a little out of place nowadays. Regardless, it’s worth a trip.
Jammed into my very tight table (as is French custom), I, once again, started with oeuf dur mayonnaise. There’s was even better and so much prettier.
My main course was Le Bouillon Julien -their signature beef and pasta soup flavored with coriander and lemongrass. Sounds good. But it was also flavored with WAY too much salt. And I like salt.
For dessert, I again ordered the house specialty: Le Dessert Julien. On the English menu, graciously provided to me, Le Dessert Julien was described as a “rum-soaked grape.”
*Side note… Someday, when AI takes over the world, and we no longer have to rely on strange and curious translations for guidance, I believe we will have lost something. I mean, the mystery of a “rum-soaked grape!”
Turns out, it was bread pudding smothered in chocolate. Tasty. But I wondered about the chantilly puff, the peach melba, and the rum baba. Are you getting the picture? The menu is charmingly old-fashioned. And the check? Also from another era. For the three courses (and tap water), it was around 18 euros (a little over $20).
I was so full from my three-course meal at Julien that I decided to walk the hour and 15 minutes back to the hotel. Only, it didn’t take me an hour and 15 minutes because I kept stopping to take pictures and wander into shops and darkened churches, like this one.
The walk was lovely, and it took me through parts of the city I had never seen.
Ah, Paris…
In 1900, roughly 250 bouillons were operating in Paris. Nowadays, only a handful have survived. If you ever go or go back to Paris, try one of their bouillons. They serve traditional French food at very reasonable prices in a beautiful and historical setting.
And with this report, that concludes Tuesdays in Paris. I know, I know, we love Paris! But there are other interesting and beautiful places for us to visit, like Auckland, for example.