paris bites: les cocottes de christian constant

Les Cocottes de Christian Constant
135, rue Saint-Dominique (7th arrondissement)
75007 Paris, France
Tel: +33 (01) 4555 1505 (No reservations)
Website: http://www.maisonconstant.com/eng_cocottes.htm
Opening Hours: 12pm - 3pm, 7pm - 10.30pm daily

Chef Christian Constant helmed the kitchens in Michelin Star fine dining restaurants years back but in recent times, has decided to take the route of casual dining, which is pretty much the trend everywhere these days. The return to a more laid back setting means that his restaurant is more accessible as prices are more at a reasonable range. It also means the food is simpler but by no means less delicious or impressive.

Les Cocottes is quite a special little place. Located near the Eiffel Tower, it was the perfect lunch spot after a dreadful morning of queuing to ascend the Eiffel. True to the name of the place, most dishes are served in Staub cast iron cocettes which I find a novelty since the rest of the world are using tiles and chopping boards to serve their food these days (not that I mind).

The food was delicious. We started with a Langoustine Ravioli. The broth although a tad foamy was light and extremely flavourful. There was a substantial amount of langoustines wrapped within the ravioli. An all round favourite.

You could smell the fragrance of the Mushroom Velouté as soon as it was brought to our table. Am not always a fan of mushroom soups but this was one that was done extremely well and one that I really liked. It was rich because it was creamy but yet it didn't weigh us down much after having it.

The mains were delicious as well. R's order of Veal was cooked to perfection and paired really well with artichokes, onions and red peppers. What was more impressive was the special of the day, Beef Bourguignon.

Beef Bourguignon, a classic French dish which originated from Burgundy, takes on a modern twist here. Traditionally, you'd see the beef cut up into small chunks but here, the meat is served in one large portion. The pasta was also gratinated with cheese. The beef was extremely tender and well seasoned. The soft garlic made the dish all the more enjoyable. Excellent excellent dish. One that I will remember for a long time.

Lunch ended with Christian Constant's signature Chocolate Tart. Rich and indulgent, the dark chocolate helped to round up an extremely enjoyable meal.

So if you're in the area, this is one place you want to fit into your itinerary. Even if you're not somewhere nearby, it probably might be worth a trip anyways.