by Gabriel Geller » Sun Aug 28, 2011 3:17 pm
In addition of being a true wine lover (and probably a bit frustrated one as I restrict myself to kosher wines exclusively) with even some professional background in the field, I'm also lucky enough to have had visited many of the best kosher restaurants around the world, and that includes Israel, USA, Switzerland, France, The Czech Republic (!), Italy etc. , I would be happy to share here my thoughts on some of the K restaurants worth a visit in Paris. I usually visit La ville des lumieres 1-2 a year and never miss the opportunity to try and re-try what its kosher food scenery has to offer.
If I had to list them in a priority order:
1. Le Jaguar - 96, rue de Levis 17eme arrondissemnt
2. Le Chateaubriand - 125, rue de Tocqueville 17eme arrondissement
3. La Brasserie du Belvedere - 109, avenue de Villiers 17eme arrondissement
4. O'You - 164, avenue Daumesnil 12eme arrondissement
All are quite expensive (especially Jaguar and Chateaubriand) though usually offer a great culinary experience to kosher keepers.
At Le Jaguar, I recommend the Egg Blancmange with its black truffle juice and goose liver escalopines, the lamb as entree and the red fruits crumble to finish the meal with a sinful sweetness on the palate. The wine list is also quite extensive but the Sarget de Gruaud-Larose 2003 and Chateau Piada 2001 (Sauternes) put apart, you'll be better off focusing on the israeli options, not very original indeed but showing wisely selected choices by the house sommelier (Castel, Yarden, Recanati SR, Avnei Hachoshen..). By the way, dear Rogov, if you read this post,the sommelier told me to my great surprise on my last visit that he had in stock a few bottles of kosher Chateau Lafite-Rotschild which I never heard of before but due to its naturally scandalous price I didn't even dare to ask him if I may just see it. Do you know if they had indeed produced one or more kosher vintages? Not to the best of my knowledge anyway, but if someone would know that would be definitely you.
Le Chateaubriand is probably the kosher restaurant offering on its menu the largest and most-invested goose liver selection of dishes in the world. Apart from goose liver, both the fish and meat options are well worth a shot though your banker will probably call in tears, spoiling the rest of your trip begging you to return home immediately.
La Brasserie du Belvedere features one of the best duck confit I ever had the luck to taste and the choucroute they serve is not bad, but my opinion is biased as my mother probably makes the best one could possibly dream of.
As for O'You, go without hesitation for either the entrecote or a cote de boeuf.
And most importantly: Bon appetit et sante!
One last word for Daniel Rogov: Congrats on the event in your honor tonight at TLV's Dan Panorama, you definitely deserve it. Thanks for being the kosher wine's best advocate and THE ambassador of the Israeli Wine in the world. Chapeau bas!