There’s something so attractive about basic comfort food: mac and cheese, shepherd’s pie, tomato soup. It’s no wonder that chefs have started putting some of these key foods from our childhood on menus across the country.
The same is happening in France, though comfort food doesn’t mean the same thing here as it does back home. Foods like beef bourguignon or pâté are closer to what most French people grew up with, so these are the classics that we’re seeing revisited, deconstructed, and featured on everything from three-starred tables to bistro bars.
And of course, there’s the eternal croque monsieur.
A croque monsieur in its purest form is a simple dish that French parents can make in a hurry for a weeknight supper: two slices of sandwich bread, a slice of ham, and a bit of Emmental cheese. Heated under the broiler, the sandwich becomes something akin to a grilled cheese.
Of course, restaurants love to take it a bit further.
Parisian establishments tend to experiment with swapping out the sandwich bread for country miche, with ladling béchamel over the sandwich before it’s broiled (a divisive if traditional approach). And more and more, restaurants are using high-quality cheeses to lend even more flavor to this childhood favorite.
This is exactly what awaits guests at Printemps du Goût.
Printemps du Goût could be construed as a (very) high-end food court. Located at the top of the 19th century Printemps department store, just steps from the Opera Garnier, Printemps du Goût unites several creators of top-quality products, like baker Gontran Cherrier and Chef Akrame Benallal, in one open space boasting several dedicated restaurants specializing in meats, fish, and pastry.
The cheese side of the equation is, of course, managed by none other than Laurent Dubois.
One of Paris’ most renowned fromagers, doted with the prestigious Meilleur Ouvrier de France designation, Laurent Dubois is where I go every time I want to bring cheese back to my turophile brother: his 20-month Comté is exquisite (and his shops near Bastille, La Motte Picquet, and Maubert-Mutualité all offer free samples).
The very same Comté features in Dubois’ version of the croque monsieur, made with Cherrier’s simple yet delicious pain de mie brushed with a bit of walnut mustard and served with raw beet carpaccio and mixed greens.
Despite the top-notch products, this croque monsieur resides comfortably within tradition. It’s not an open-face sandwich, as so many modern ones are. It doesn’t need a béchamel (or even an egg, which I usually prefer), to lend it substance. It’s simple, and maybe that’s why I like it so much.
The croque was just one of two dishes Little Sister and I sampled on a recent visit. The other, a massive salad with Chavignol goat cheese and pickled onions, was just as delicious: the perfect simple base to showcase Dubois’ creamy cheese.
I’ll be back, to take advantage of the outdoor seating with a view of the Eiffel Tower once the weather gets a bit warmer; to try the ever-changing croque of the day; to sample some of Cherrier’s pastries.
Oh, and to pick up a hunk of Comté, bien sûr.
Laurent Dubois au Printemps du Goût - 59 Rue de Caumartin, 75009Â