RESTAURANT IN REVIEW: BOUILLON RACINE

DO WE LIKE THE LOCATION?

Bouillon Racine is perfectly situated in the Latin Quarter right across the street from La Sorbonne and the old movie theaters making it perfect for tourists and locals alike. The interior is modeled after la Belle époque and continues the art nouveau tradition into the 21st century in exquisite detail.

THE CROWD - YAY OR NAY?

At some point I felt like I had entered into a Woody Allen film not entirely against my will on account of the preponderant low hum of mid-atlantic accents interspersed with tintinnabulations of cutlery. French words seemed to be spoken few and far between, in passing by the waiters, or in orders by the patrons, however, it wasn’t overwhelmingly touristy.

WHAT TO DRINK?

My partner and I opted for a rich bordeaux which paired perfectly with the créme du barry and, surprisingly, the cod. Ordinarily, I would never pair a red with fish but in this case it worked.

WHAT TO EAT?

Though you can order by dish, Bouillon Racine also offers an excellent dinner menu for 37€ including an entrée, plat, and dessert. For individual plates, I would highly recommend the Saint Jacques scallops which were seared to perfection, though this time around I went for the cod, créme du barry, and finally a sumptuous opéra cake while my partner had a quintessential steak as well as the créme du barry and an ile flottante, a floating island cake.

WHAT’S THE OCCASION?

Bouillon Racine is rather formal and so perhaps is unsuitable for a casual dinner (for locals at least) but if you are looking to make the most of every experience you have in Paris, this restaurant is a perfect place to luxuriate in art nouveau and excellent cuisine with just the right amount of pomp and circumstance. My partner and I decided not to celebrate Valentine’s Day the day of, because of the crowds which made booking a reservation at a reasonable hour absolutely impossible and so we went the day after at my partner’s behest and romantic suggestion. It turned out to be the ideal location to celebrate love as the art-nouveau style evokes a distinctive romanticism and I would highly recommend it as the perfect date-night location.

THE VERDICT?

The food was incredible especially for the price and the elegant well-preserved art nouveau interior that was an expertly crafted fusion of the antique and the modern without any excess kitsch or overt theme-park-ification of la belle époque. I will certainly be returning this time to try the (sea thingies) which my intuition had initially suggested. I will also be recommending this establishment to my family who plan on visiting over the holidays next Christmas and have a particular interest in the history of French art and architecture.

ADDRESS:

3 Rue Racine,
75006, Paris

Categories