When I’m disappointed by a restaurant that has gotten accolades from palates I trust, I get major Emperor’s New Clothes vibes. Did I order wrong? Was it an off night? Has my palate been destroyed by all the coffee I’ve been drinking for the past two decades? Was I just in a bad mood that day? Because I lack both the funds and the capacity to sample places as many times as I’d like before forming an opinion, I have to caveat my assessment of Chantefable, a 100-year-old stalwart of Belleville that has taken Instagram – and Gilles Pudlowski’s Pudlo des Bistrots – by storm. Pudlowski recently gave the bistro a nod for its art de vivre and adherence to tradition, going so far as to applaud the egg mayo, which I found disappointing. But before I go down this road, let’s talk about what I liked.
Chantefable, a bistro formerly known as Rallye Gambetta, was recently taken over by a younger team and given back its former name, which alludes to poets who would “sing fables” in the storied locale. The bistro does give all the Vibes, with its leather banquettes, stone counter, and stucco ceiling, and while the host is affable bordering on (*gasp*) friendly, the servers lean wholeheartedly into the affect of the rude Parisian server who nevertheless manages to get the job done. The wines by the glass are delicious, reasonably priced, generous, and served with house-made potato chips, and there’s a conviviality in the dining room, which is filled with a balance of local regulars and tourists. There’s a cheese cart and a bread guillotine, and just a general air of bistro perfection.
Appetizers range from 11-euro leek-vinaigrette paired with 30-month-old Iberian ham to 10-euro French onion soup. We noticed a pair tucking into the bone marrow with potatoes and gravy (13) who seemed to be enjoying themselves quite a bit. We, on the other hand, opted for the organic egg-mayo (6) topped with red onion pickles, which added some lightness to the dish. It was tasty, but by no means mind-blowing.
Our second appetizer was a daily special: an endive and radicchio salad served with Fourme d’Ambert “nougat” (8). While this was creative and fairly tasty, it suffered from severe underseasoning, especially considering that half of the lettuce (the bits around the edge) had no vinaigrette on them whatsoever.
Vegetarian mains these days seem to be exclusively a) gnocchi with butternut squash and blue cheese or b) coquillettes with cheese and truffle. So we were very happy to see a vegetarian bourguignon (17) on the menu, boasting a jumble of veg in a miso-spiked red wine sauce. Unfortunately, this one proved a bit too heavy on the beetroot, and especially seeing as it came in the wake of a recent home-cooked veggie bourguignon with mushrooms and a thick, rich gravy, Chantefable’s thin version paled in comparison.
While most of the folks around me were chowing down on steak (including one that, confoundingly, the diner is meant to cook for themself on a hot stone) I couldn’t keep from ordering the house specialty: a veal kidney fricassee (23) that apparently has been on the menu for 30 years. It was tasty, with a thick, two-mustard sauce, but it didn’t blow me away.
In fact, the only thing that did was the side of gratin dauphinois, redolent with garlic and positively perfect in every way. I would come back just for this.
Green beans (5) were comparatively fine. They did the job and were mercifully still green, which is high praise for Paris.
Things ended on an unfortunately sour note with a café gourmand (11.50). Of the five mignardises we were offered, only two were of note: the small square of chocolate cake and the crème brûlée. The pistachio cream puff tasted more of bitter almond, and the cookie was stale and soft. The ile flottante was fine but nothing special, and by this point, I was tired of being underwhelmed.
As I write this, I’m tempted to give Chantefable the benefit of the doubt by appending my review with a note about its prices. While Chantefable doesn’t impress me as much as, say, Brasserie Lipp or Bofinger, it’s a fair bit cheaper than either of these two more central locales. If I’m fair, it’s probably just as good as Le Bûcheron or Le Café du Commerce… though both of those restaurants are also conveniently located quite centrally, and given its exocentric address in the 20th, Chantefable would likely prove quite a hike for most tourists.
I guess what I’m saying is… there’s no need to run to Chantefable, but if you do end up here, rest assured: You’ll eat fine in a gorgeous room. As long as you don’t order the beet bourguignon or the café gourmand.
Chantefable – 93 avenue Gambetta, 75020