Dining at Le Marais. ‘Le Petit Marché’, Paris

At Le Marais, the aristocratic district of Paris, one of the nicest areas of Paris, we mix ourselves among the real Parisienne.

Far away from the touristy Champs Elissee, we head at Le Petit Marché, where we experiment on traditional French cuisine renewed with an Asian spin.

The combination turns out to be excellent!

As we get in the cozy, little restaurant, the friendly staff provides our table with a basket of sliced baguette to enjoy with some vegetables ‘a la Julienne’ and a dip of fresh cheese and herbs.

The starter we picked arrives right after.

Our Tartare da saumon, avocat et mangue, is fresh and delicious. The rich textures of salmon, avocado and mango create a perfect creaminess in your mouth, but the chili temperature and the slightly tart fruit flavor prevent the dish from being too buttery.

Our entrees are both to remember. The Filet mignon de porc au gingembre comes served with a potato puree and a salad dressed with a delicate but intense Dijonne mustard. In its simplicity the dish is great: extremely tender meat which is perfectly grilled, crispy and salty on the surface.

The Parmentier de Camard, a casserole of tender pulled meat layered with tomatoes and potato puree, is even better. The meat is really light, simply cooked in a vegetable broth, and when you’re done with your meal there are no traces of oil or butter in your bowl.

While we’re debating about encoring, our eyes are distracted by the dessert menu. When in France, one has to try Creme Brulee. As they propose it at Le Petit Marché, infused with passion fruit and vanilla, it’s light and airy, but intensively flavorful. This is definitely a good place to try it!

The Moelleux au chocolat et creme anglais au praline it’s also really special. The strong chocolate center mixes with the sweet creme anglais creating a delicious spoonful.