My Best Paris Restaurants:
Allard

A revamped, charming and very alive 1900-style bistro…

Out of the Best Paris Restaurants sphere for a while, Allard has bounced back to put his Left Bank atmosphere en vogue again. It’s charm lies in the old-fashioned quality and simplicity of both the décor and the traditional French cuisine.

If you are after an element of glamour, this may not do it for you. But travelers who seek to sample real “French food” of yesteryear will undoubtedly be seduced.

The many dish-for-two specialties are a nice touch that makes Allard an even more memorable experience for couples. The cozy atmosphere will add to the complicity between you and your lover, although it may become pretty raucous in the late hours. The regulars, the finger-licking food, the great wine flowing and the gregarious staff are to blame for the festive ambiance.

This small bistro packs a punch and you’ll best enjoy it if you do in Rome as the Romans… (i.e. leave your “what I expected was…” list at home).

Reservations are a good idea but not compulsory. I also like the fact that Allard is in relatively close proximity to the strings of restaurants and bistros in the Quartier Latin. If you’re visiting the area, this could be the culmination of a nice day of touring but it is not limiting, given the many other choices.

The menu price range from affordable €20 to high €70 will give you great choices including coq au vin (poultry in wine sauce), duck with olives, various meats, roasts and other succulent French regional specialties too numerous to mention.

You should know that this is a gem. When you push the door open to enter Allard, you are in one of the last true bistros of Paris.

Allard is steeped in history and soaking in the spirit of Martha Allard, "mother cook," who founded the establishment in 1932.

Chez Allard, the kitchen has always been a woman’s story. So naturally, Rockstar Chef Alain Ducasse who now owns the joint, asked Laetitia Rouabah, the new and current chef to continue to write this story.

Her love of cooking and good products was passed on to her by her grandmother and mother. Laetitia makes a fine local cuisine, sincere and generous, inviting you to enjoy Allard’s traditional dishes in a convivial atmosphere.

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