Today, I’m revealing a beautiful spot in the heart of the Marais, which I discovered in December 2015 and which became one of my gastronomic favorites that year. First, it was love at first sight because of the absolutely incredible decor of this restaurant, Les Chouettes. Indeed, this stunning establishment is set in an Eiffel-style decor, featuring a bright main dining room nestled under a magnificent 20-meter-high glass and iron canopy. The restaurant also extends across 2 other floors under the famous canopy, with an atmosphere and decor that make you feel like you are on vacation on the deck of a cruise liner. At least, that’s the feeling I got.
Below, I invite you to discover the three times we visited this restaurant with my favorite photographer: back in 2015, then in 2018, and finally in 2023. You will see that the decor, the chef, and the menu have changed each time, but this address remains a reliable choice that I still highly recommend. I would also like to take this opportunity to thank you for following this “good addresses” section with such consistency; it keeps growing over time, and it is always a pleasure for me to write about it—and to taste everything, obviously.
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Table of Contents
My 2023 lunch at Les Chouettes restaurant
We returned to this restaurant with my favorite photographer in July 2023. The decor had changed slightly, but the spirit of the place and the establishment’s magnificent glass canopy were still there. The new decor was entirely imagined and designed by Thibault Vidalenc with Christiene Faesch, whose goal was to restore the impressive Eiffel-style structure to its former glory, rediscovering the transparency of the high canopy and the natural light on the three dining levels. The new chef, Olivier Padin, and his team prepare dishes derived from or inspired by French culinary tradition, made with quality products.
To try: the carrot, apricot, and basil gazpacho (€9) and the tuna tartare with avocado and mango (€12); pan-seared salmon fillet (€23) and duck breast with orange sauce served with mashed potatoes; the duck breast was perfectly pink as we like it (€23); for dessert, we were tempted by the house specialty, the Saint-Honoré version of Les Chouettes (€11); wine by the glass between €6 and €12.
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My 2018 lunch at Les Chouettes restaurant
So, we returned to Les Chouettes at the beginning of 2018 with my favorite photographer to discover the menu created by the new chef of the establishment, Benjamin Mathieu. Obviously, like every time we return to a place that left us with a very good memory, there is always the secret fear of being disappointed and not feeling the magic of the “first time.” Fortunately, that was not the case for Les Chouettes, and we happily rediscovered the charm and quality of this unique establishment.
On the plates, the new chef lives up to what we had experienced here before, offering us a classic yet very refined bistrot cuisine with extremely successful blends of textures and flavors. Once again, the menu is short (7 starters, 7 mains, and 5 desserts), which is always a sign of quality.
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My 2015 lunch at Les Chouettes restaurant
During our 2015 lunch, we also fell in love with the food, where we discovered the fine, modern, and elegant cuisine of the chef at the time, Alban Drevet, who favored fresh produce and reinvented seasonal dishes with great talent, I must say.
We tasted:
- The Creamy Egg with Haddock, potato velouté and beaufort cheese (€9).
- The Mozzarella, with olive oil, artichoke, and ham (€12).
- The roasted Pork Cheek, salsify carbonara and trompette-de-la-mort mushrooms, my favorite mushrooms (€19). A real discovery, because I was very surprised by the texture of this part of the pork; I expected something very fatty, and it was nothing of the sort. So, I warmly recommend you try this dish if you are not familiar with it!
- The Confit Cod (the low-temperature cooking, which I have already mentioned several times on the blog, was honestly just perfect), Dubarry cream and Darphin potatoes (€21).
- The irresistible Paris-Brest from the house (€9), a must-try if you like this dessert.
- The cardamom and lime cream, with coconut marshmallows and fresh nuts, a treat (€9) and quite light if you want to end the meal on a slightly less heavy note.
The little extra: an interesting selection of wines as well as a choice of wines by the glass, which I always particularly appreciate.
The good deal: the very affordable prices of this restaurant in comparison to the quality of what is served on the plates. Real value for money for cuisine of this level.
Tested in 2015, 2018, and 2023
Les Chouettes restaurant
32 rue de Picardie, 75003 ParisMonday to Thursday from 10:00 am to Midnight
Thursday and Friday from 10:00 am to 1:00 am
Sunday from 10:00 am to 5:00 pmSunday brunch at €35
Find all my restaurant reviews in Paris below:
⇒ All my restaurant reviews in Paris
MAP OF MY GOOD FOOD ADDRESSES IN PARIS AND THE ILE-DE-FRANCE REGION
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Tea Room / Coffee Shop
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Photo credits: Nicolas Diolez and Mademoiselle Bon Plan Photos are not royalty-free, photographer authorization required before any use
