A return to the past at Le Beaucé, a charming bistro on Rue Richer, an artery rich in good addresses (such as here, here, here and here). Without claiming that'c'était mieux avant' (it was better before), this address, with its old-fashioned Parisian troquet feel, is the place to go for lovers of simple, yet well-executed French cuisine.
In the kitchen, chef Marius Benard, spotted behind Quedubon 's alongside his father, opened the restaurant in 2020, surrounded by a very friendly team - including a second Marius, this one in the dining room, ready to share his good advice, particularly concerning the liquid side of the restaurant.
From the traditional bistro, Le Beaucé draws its decor - Thonet chairs, a gleaming zinc counter - its ambience, which warms up as the glasses go down, and its Franco-French menu, which can be seen right on the slate. It's said that the chef likes to cook what he likes to eat, and so it's only natural that this lover of good food, who fell under the spell of offal in his youth, should offer somewhat neglected and sometimes unloved specialties (veal brains poached in lemon butter, tripe), alongside more consensual dishes such as eggs mayo.
But the restaurant doesn't confine itself to bistro folklore, and is even open to more bistronomic dishes (black mullet carpaccio with soy sauce; €14). Its sole credo is to treat the finest produce skilfully sourced, in season, from some twenty handpicked French producers and artisans. In detail, but without going into too much detail, the meat comes from the Meignan family, the organic fruit and vegetables from the carreau des producteurs at Rungis, the poultry from Courtin Hervouet and the offal from Sud-Ouest Abats.
The same honesty is to be found in the glass, chosen (or rather recommended) from among the 150 references, all meticulously inscribed on the walls of the establishment. Without pretension, Marius Benard's traditional cuisine is all the more beautiful for its sincerity.
On our visit (the menu is short, and when 'there's none left, there's none left'): homemade country terrine (9€), escargots en persillade, pavé de thon de ligne mi-cuit and beurre blanc (29€), washed down with good keels - Stéphane Orieux's Folle Blanche vintage. Simple but not simplistic, and naturally good.
For lunch, expect to pay €22 for a starter/main course or main course/dessert, and €25 for a full menu. Perfect for eating well in these complicated times.
Location
Le Beaucé
43 Rue Richer
75009 Paris 9
Official website
www.lebeauce.fr
