The concept of Bel Canto restaurants is truly original; it aims to bring the Opera directly to your table. During an ordinary dinner, instead of recorded background music, young opera singers—all graduates from conservatories—come to offer us beautiful moments from famous Operas (Rigoletto, The Marriage of Figaro, Carmen, Mozart’s The Magic Flute, etc.).
Every night, a different quartet of singers performs these great Opera arias, accompanied live on the piano by a young musician. In total, a troupe of 80 singers and pianists take turns based on their schedules across the 3 Bel Canto locations. Indeed, there are 3 Bel Canto restaurants in total: one in Paris (the one we tested and the birthplace of the concept), one in Neuilly-sur-Seine, and one last one in London.
What I appreciated most during this dinner was the proximity to the singers and the vibrations of their voices. Never in a concert hall can you be so close to the artists and perceive all the subtlety of their singing. It is therefore a magical experience for lovers of beautiful voices. I also really liked that friendly moment toward the end of the evening where the whole room toasts with the singers, a glass of Prosecco (offered by the house) in hand, and where we all sing La Traviata together with them (or at least, we try to…). It was very convivial!
The menu (choice of 3 appetizers, 5 main courses, and 4 desserts):
- A small complimentary amuse-bouche in the form of verrines and gougères.
- Homemade duck foie gras with a citrus chutney to start the dinner.
- Butternut squash velouté with chestnuts and a mushroom flan for the starter.
- A large “raviolo” served open with seasonal vegetable filling and pesto; this is the vegetarian dish on the menu. Not that I’m a vegetarian, as you well know, but it was actually the dish that appealed to me the most.
- My favorite photographer opted for the confit beef chuck with Périgourdine sauce, accompanied by pumpkin confit with honey and raspberry vinegar.
- For desserts, we tested the savarin with aged rum, whipped cream, and seasonal fruits, and the vanilla and chocolate profiteroles with Valrhona chocolate topping.
To be honest, we ate decently, but it is clearly not for what is on the plate that the venue stands out. The cuisine is classic and well-executed, but it doesn’t go any further. It is obviously for the show and the unique atmosphere of the evening that I recommend you try this address, and it can be a particularly original idea if you want to surprise, for example, a fan of Opera or classical music.
The pro tip: come for a birthday to have your birthday song sung by opera singers!
My advice: if you want to make the most of the evening, try to arrive around 7:30 PM to have time to settle in comfortably before the “show” begins.
Price: show + 3-course menu €93 per person
Thanks to Bel Canto for this invitation. Test conducted in 2017.
Bel Canto Paris 72, quai de l’Hôtel de Ville 75004 Paris every night from 8 PM
Find all my restaurant reviews in Paris below:
⇒ All my restaurant reviews in Paris
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Photo credits: Nicolas Diolez Photos are not royalty-free, photographer's authorization required before any use
