Café Content, the friendly brasserie for inventive seasonal cuisine at affordable prices in Paris

It's a brasserie with a relaxed spirit that makes mouths water and lips smile. Café Content is one of those addresses that has established itself as a veritable neighborhood gem, where residents of Paris's 11th arrondissement regularly gather to enjoy creative, seasonal gastronomy at excellent value for money. Unsurprisingly, the spot has spread by word of mouth, making this restaurant the best address in the area.

The setting is trendy, bright and cosy, the atmosphere friendly, no fuss and very chill. The restaurant's friendly team welcomes regulars like old friends and warmly greets newcomers. In a relaxed atmosphere, the menu is presented with a touch of pride (which is understandable), and advice is given with the pleasure of sharing. On the menu, we discover inventive and intriguing recipes.

Each plate has been meticulously imagined with the aim of offering gourmets a skilful balance of textures and a beautiful presentation, while giving pride of place to good produce. Inventive cuisine, yes, but without distorting it! Here, you'll appreciate the value for money, with lunchtime starters at 8€, main courses at 16€ and desserts at 6€. A starter + main course or main course + dessert costs €18, while the full starter + main course + dessert menu costs €22.

On this particular day, starters included a comforting leek and potato soup, with fried leeks, pommes paillasson and an orange zest cream that added just the right touch of pep. Just the thing to warm our taste buds and hearts as the capital was plunged into wintry weather. We also fell for the rice cake, a crunchy saffron-scented rice that accompanies generous rillettes of crab and grilled prawns with lemon mayonnaise and nori seaweed. The iodized flavor of the shellfish is brought out just right, without being drowned out by the sauce.

• To be read
• Tips for the week of January 27 - February 2, 2025 in Paris: free or inexpensive outings
• The best galettes des rois in Paris and Ile-de-France 2025, tested and validated

As for the main courses, we find ourselves once again between land and sea. On the one hand, the melt-in-the-mouth lamb chop, accompanied by parsnips and pumpkin in two textures and pumpkin seeds, is again a comforting dish, appropriate for the time of year, which should delight meat lovers.

On the other hand, we find turbot, whose pearly flesh yields easily to the bite of a fork. This recipe, with its beet cream married to a spicy red wine sauce, is sure to please fans of sweet and savoury dishes, accompanied by roasted caviar zucchini for extra chewiness.

Time for dessert. For fans of regressive flavors, it was hard not to try the fine apple tart with chocolate ganache. However, our big favorite was a Brazilian specialty, Bala Baianas, caramelized coconut balls which, beneath a crunchy caramel layer, reveal a soft texture. This reveals the gourmet notes of grated coconut, while a chantilly cream, also flavored with the exotic fruit, adds an extra touch of sweetness to this exotic dessert.

In addition to the address's good value for money, chill spirit and creative recipes, you'll also appreciate the right mix of dishes. At Café Content, you'll eat well, whether you're satisfied with one dish or decide to opt for the full menu. You'll find yourself perfectly satisfied without feeling that you've bitten off more than you can chew!