It was actually the annual Mirabelle plum festival that brought me to Metz – at least officially. However, stone fruit was not on the menu, but a visit to the restaurant that stole my heart on my first visit to Metz was.
You have to imagine it like this: on my first visit to the Grand Est region, I had treated myself to a small apéritif after an extensive tour of Metz, with its cathedral and market halls. Maybe even two. So, quite famished, my friend and I went in search of a nice restaurant in the evening – on a Saturday and without a reservation. We came across Le Paris by chance.
When I first looked at the menu, however, I wasn’t entirely impressed because the bistro mainly offers very meat-heavy dishes. We almost got up and looked for something else, but luckily we decided to order two dishes and share.
Slightly shielded from the street, it’s a great place to linger outside in good weather © Photo credit: Anna-Lena Würz
And lo and behold, as soon as we had bitten into the little olive and tomato muffins, expressions such as “Oh wow” and “Sooo good!” kept escaping our mouths, perhaps to the confusion of the diners around us. Which just goes to show: Le Paris is not a tourist trap advertising cheap “steak frites”. Besides the odd stray tourist, it’s mainly locals who hang out here.
Expectations are high
On our second visit to Metz recently, we had to make sure that the food really was as good as we thought it was on our first starving and tipsy attempt.
Once again, we received an incredibly warm welcome from the two waiters, who offered us a table outside on the small terrace. Once again, we were greeted by light and fluffy muffins with small olives and sun-dried tomatoes hidden inside. It’s a combination of simple ingredients, but it’s delicious – especially when served with the small cold gazpacho.
As a greeting from the kitchen, we received small muffins with cold gazpacho © Photo credit: Anna-Lena Würz
The muffins are particularly fluffy and full of flavour despite the simple ingredients © Photo credit: Anna-Lena Würz
We treated ourselves to two glasses of the excellent red house wine. I’ll probably only be able to tell you the exact name when my French skills improve.
And we ordered exactly the same thing as before: a filet de boeuf aux morilles – a rump steak with morel cream sauce for €35 – and the noisette d’agneau façon chef – lamb in a brown gravy for €30. Both dishes are served with a vegetable garnish of leek and carrot as well as sweet potato purée. There is also a portion of thinly grated roast potatoes to share.
The lamb, in particular, was tender and perfectly pink in the centre. The accompanying sauce also tasted very good, but without overpowering the meat too much. The steak was cooked just right and buttery soft, but I was particularly impressed by the cream sauce.
The morels, which are not particularly attractive in name or appearance, give the dish a special flavour and an additional, surprising texture. For someone who rarely eats meat and, above all, tries to pay attention to good quality, this is a real feast.
The lamb fillet is exactly as it should be: tender © Photo credit: Anna-Lena Würz
The steak not only impresses with its high-quality meat, but also with its cream sauce with morels © Photo credit: Anna-Lena Würz
Roast potatoes always work well © Photo credit: Anna-Lena Würz
After the meal, the plates are empty © Photo credit: Anna-Lena Würz
Another highlight: the pavlova with meringue, creamy whipped cream and fresh berries © Photo credit: Anna-Lena Würz
And don’t even get me started on the vegetables. Although the focus is on the meat, I’m almost tempted to say that the soft leek and carrot mix, lightly seasoned with nutmeg, is the secret star of the plate. And while we also like the purée, nothing beats a good roast potato – crispy on top and soft underneath and swimming in a good portion of oil.
The crowning glory is a pavlova for dessert, which we share, and two espressos. Suffice it to say that it tastes as good as it looks. Or even better?
If you’re looking for criticism, I’m sorry to disappoint. I would travel to France again any time just to visit this restaurant. And the city itself is quite beautiful, too.
Info
Tuesdays: 10:00 to 15:00 and 18:00 to 22:30
Wednesday: 10:00 to 15:00
Thursday to Saturday: 10:00 to 15:00 and 18:00 to 22:30
Sunday: 10:00 to 16:00
The restaurants reviewed in the “Table Talk” column are not informed that a reporter is visiting. Mediahuis Luxembourg pays a contribution towards the cost of the meal. The rest is paid by the reviewer.
Dining and Cooking