Dec 24

Dec 24 My First Parisian Love: Le Servan

It should be no surprise that I found love in my first month in the most romantic city in the world. I decided to take myself out to a restaurant highly recommended by the one and only Phil (hey, dad – shout out to you). Le Servan wasn’t too far from where I was staying in the 11e arrondisement. I didn’t have reservations but decided to try my luck around 9/930 after a petit apero.

The restaurant is cozy, with a small bar immediately in front of you and an open kitchen to the left when you walk in. No more than 15 tables sprinkle the room with the decor blending the modern with the traditional.

Fitting, as the food does the same thing.

I started with the tete de veau with leeks and gribache a l’habenero (13 euro). I fell in love after my very first bite. The tete and leeks were cooked perfectly and balanced each other nicely, with the sauce pulling everything together. The dish went perfectly with a glass of white Burgundy (for only 7 euro).

The next course was the cochon du lait (translated literally as milk pig) with roasted carrots and “pric pao” sauce. The meat was moist and surrounded by a delicious layer of fat with crispy skin. It was cooked perfectly with a rose center. Radicchio was a welcome addition to the dish. This was paired with a glass of Bordeaux (only 6 euro).

The meal was capped with a good espresso (decent crema). At 54 euros, I can’t be back every night, but I still managed to return quickly with a friend as a treat.

The second time around was equally impressive. The croquetas and a pear tart both still haunt my dreams.