When I lived on the Left Bank, I crossed the river constantly: it seemed I had to if I wanted to eat anything interesting at all. While that statement might ring heavily of hyperbole, it feels true: the Left Bank just isn’t as innovative as the Right when it comes to restaurants these days, and there are very few times I feel the need to head that far from home to eat. But on one recent afternoon, I met up with a former colleague for lunch near his office, and so we decided to try out Freddy’s.
Freddy’s is one of four establishments on rue de Seine owned by Drew Hare and Juan Sanchez, along with Fish La Boissonnerie, Cosi, and Semilla. While I had been to the latter (years and years ago), I’d never tried any of the others; now seemed as good a time as any.
Freddy’s accepts no reservations, and some of the best seats are at the bar, where you can take in the good selection of wines by the glass and also glimpse into the semi-open kitchen.
On the day we visited, the restaurant had a lunch special: an appetizer and main along with a glass of wine.
The American sensibility of the neighborhood was clear in the flavor of these sweet potato fritters, seasoned with cinnamon and nutmeg and served with a spiced, creamy dip. I loved the chunks of hazelnuts sprinkled throughout the fritters, as well as the subtle nod to home in the seasoning, perfect for the season.
When it came to mains, we diverged: my friend went for this generous slice of pâté-croûte…
…while I opted for razor clams with parsley butter. These were perfectly cooked and nicely seasoned, but after the fritters, they just weren’t quite as special.
Given the diminutive size of the plates, we decided to go for dessert. I chose a fig and pomegranate pavlova… and wow. The texture on this was perfect: the cream was pillowy and just barely sweetened; the meringue was crisp on the outside and tender inside. The glazed fig was perfectly perfumed, while the raw pomegranate added a nice touch of brightness.
Freddy’s is an amazing address to have in your back pocket for a number of reasons. It’s open from noon to midnight every day, making it a great place for a pre- or post-dinner drink or snack, especially on Sundays and Mondays, when the rest of the city shuts down. It’s also within walking distance of Notre-Dame, the Latin Quarter, and Saint-Germain. I hear that in the evenings, it gets difficult to find a seat, but for lunch, it was very easy and very reasonably priced, considering the quality. All in all, a lovely Left Bank spot.
Freddy’s – 54 Rue de Seine, 75006