Le Boudoir

When it came time to visit Paris this past November, I went back to check for my favorite restaurants during my visit in 2012 and was glad to learn that this place is still around.

Though the restaurant changed owners in 2012, it remains my all-time favorite restaurant in Paris, and my companions agreed with me too.

While the menu in Nov 2022 was limited, as disclosed by the restaurant due to the labor and supply chain constraints, the quality of our meals was top-notch. We enjoyed all the dishes that we ordered that night, with the veal and scallops being the most notable dishes.

The service was warm and friendly too.

Little place off the main champs elysese rue. Excellent food, wine, and friendly staff. The scallop was delicate with a perfect balance of truffle and acid. The veal was perfectly cooked, and extremely tasty.

This is our new "go to" place, Frencies, L'Ange 20 love you but you'll have to move over as there's a new "mayor" in town... Mayor as in Mayor of France or Meilleurs Ouvriers de France (shortened to MOF) is a unique and prestigious award in France according to category of trades in a contest among professionals. In this case the craftsman is the young chef Arnaud Nicolas and his MOF is for terrines that I have never experienced... foies gras, duck and pork, pork and chicken livers all expertly paired with sumptuous wines.

The only way to describe this restaurant is passion.. passion for the food, its source, preparation and consumption.

The rest of the menu is just as creative as the terrines.... save room for desert as they're light and delicious too...

On top of great food, great service so reasonably priced - there should be a new category "best bang for the buck restaurant in Paris"

Bravo!

Le Boudoir is fancy a la 1990s. Think crimson & leather, extravagant sculptures, and low lighting. Not really my cup of tea, but my French in-laws selected it for dinner, raving that the chef was a pioneer of nouveau cuisine. So, pourquoi pas?

It was one of the more expensive meals we had in Paris - about 70 euros per person, including wine. I must say, the staff were very accommodating as we debated on wines, and needed a special seating arrangement for one of our guests. We were admittedly high maintenance, and they dealt with it gracefully.

The food was indeed photo worthy: daintily-prepared, inventive, and flavorful. This is a "food as art" kind of place, and you'll pay for the presentation. There's a lot of gourmet competition in Paris, so as long as you're prepared for lovely expensive food vs. hearty affordable grub, you'll be fine. I personally would save Le Boudoir for business dinners, or entertaining in-laws. It's a bit more stuffy than hip.

My wife and I visited Le Boudoir on 23 October 2014 during a whirlwind week in the City of Light. I booked Le Boudoir after reading their TA reviews, and I'm definitely glad I did! From the moment you step into the small, cozy restaurant, the staff and Stéphane (the manager) make you feel at home and welcome. The restaurant isn't very big, so you'll likely end up overhearing your neighbors conversations; however, they more than make up for it in friendly service and impeccable food. They have a small menu, but we decided to let the artists in the back ply their trade and do the 5-course set menu. We also ended up letting them choose our wines (since we had no idea what the kitchen would send out).

The first course was their famous "Poultry Pie" with foie gras. Even if you decide not to do the set menu, get this. It is an incredible dish. My wife's favorite plate from our week in Paris. The second and third courses were lobster and an interesting (and very tasty) perch "quiche". The silky texture and peppery flavor left me wanting another. The perch was followed by a piece of beef cheek that was tender enough to cut with my fork.

All-in-all, I was lucky to find Le Boudoir amongst the gastronomic maze that is Paris, but I'm glad I did. I will certainly come back next time I'm in town. The set menu was €55 / person and we shelled out another €25 / person for three glasses of wine each. Fantastic value in a city where you're just a likely to drop that much money for a meal you don't enjoy. Do yourself a favor - come here, let the kitchen do what it does best, and enjoy their wonderful hospitality.

Dear Future Kat -

I know you keep saying you don't need to come to Paris again ... but I believe you've said that the last 2-3 times you were here and well, here you are again. Well next time you come - skip the Louvre, go back to the D'Orsay and book yourself at least 3 nights of reservation here. This was your favorite restaurant in Paris.

The owner and the service were wonderful. The wine exquisite. The meal - so fresh, so flavorful (and so irrelevant since the menu always changes). Remember - go down Champs Elysee, with the Arc behind you - make a left. It's the restaurant with the crowd outside.

You are welcome,
Past Kathleen

Walked in by chance for lunch. Greeted warmly and seated immediately. Waiter/owner {Stefan) spoke very good English with a touch of kind humor. Took great care to understand allergies. Recommended meal was nothing short of spectacular, even by Paris standards. Everyone had a different dish and everyone loved it, from fish to duck. Trust Stefan and enjoy!!

Delicious dinner and excellent service. Very welcoming staff that was
enthusiastic about the food and made the evening an absolutely lovely experience all around.

Stefan is an amazing and simply fantastic host! We were warmly greeted upon arrival by Stefan. The atmosphere is understated but cozy and relaxing.

He immediately welcomed us with a glass of Rose and continued to educate us about the winemaker and more. It was a welcome suprise!

We had the tuna tartain and one of us had the lobdter while I had the other fish. Amazing flavors and presentation. To top it off, Stefan had amazing recommendations about wine and overall, well, I have a tiny crush on Stefan. A delightful host and owner.

A must try in Paris, and I can't wait to come back!

Incredible French restaurant. All I can say is I wish I had walked in with more of an appetite. None the less, the host was very kind and attentive (to us Americans) and he suggested a white wine that paired beautifully with the selection of 4 cheeses we had chosen - all of which were phenomenal.

I feel lucky to have stumbled upon such a find.