I first discovered Le Christine years ago, thanks to the careful planning of one of my aunts, who, upon arriving for an eight-day stint in the city, turned up with a curated binder of places to go, see, and above all, eat. I’m not sure where she found the recommendation, but it has since become one of my favorite spots to suggest to friends and family looking for something in the heart of the city that boasts novel flavors while still remaining within the codes of French dining.
On a recent visit, we started things off with an amuse-bouche of tiny, perfectly puffy gougères topped with grated cheese and a sprinkle of nutmeg. The diminutive bite was the perfect way to begin our adventure through a variety of flavors both traditional and innovative.
Paris is thankfully becoming a lot more vegetarian-friendly – or at least more so than in years past. Thanks to plant-forward options that didn’t seem like an afterthought, we chose to try the butternut tart topped with rich Isigny cream, seasonal clementine, and pumpkin seeds, all layered with gorgeous volume and panache atop a round of buttery puff pastry.
It was a keen contrast with the other appetizer we chose (OK, OK, I chose): rabbit galantine with a beautiful ruby red pile of mandolined beets. This dish was seasoned with not one but two ingredients I’m usually not fond of: licorice and chocolate, the latter of which was a spur of the moment addition from Chef Medhi Bencheikh when he heard I was allergic to the puffed buckwheat that usually tops the cold rabbit preparation here. Refined and delicate and oh-so moreish, it was, I think, my favorite thing I ate all night (with perhaps one exception, but I’ll get to that in a sec).
Mains-wise, we stayed the course in balancing lighter choices with more carnivorous viandard options, like this slow-cooked veal confit with lemon and tarragon. Paired with a pile of chard – yet another ingredient I thought I hated and have recently been thrilled to be proven wrong about – and a rich jus, it was exactly what you’d hope for for such a dish.
A generous jumble of scallops, meanwhile, were served with mini gnocchi, tiny button mushrooms, dill, and tetragonia (aka New Zealand spinach) and spattered with a vibrant vin jaune sauce that added depth and a lovely nuttiness to the plate.
In lieu of dessert, we dug into a phenomenal cheese plate of options hand-selected by Maison Antony, a company led by a married pair – Bernard and Jeanine Antony – who met working for none other than Pierre Androuet, one of the first cheesemongers to, in 1909, bring Parisians cheeses from all over France. Maison Antony now age their cheeses in seven distinct cellars and supply, among others, 19 three-Michelin-starred establishments.
Contrary to what you might think, it can be tough to find a good cheese course in Paris these days (an issue I explored in Whetstone). The gilded cheese trollies of yore are thin on the ground in modern Paris, and often, product-driven restaurants opt, instead, to serve one lonely – albeit excellent – piece on a plate: no choice, and no variety. Here, however, this is far from the case. Our selection du moment included a buche-like goat, a sheep’s milk tomme, a phenomenal Camembert, and the most decadent Epoisses, accompanied by a generous line of lemony, citrusy salad perfect for cutting through the richness. Indeed, this course, accompanied by the eternally wonderful bread from Jean-Luc Poujaran, might have even outshone that rabbit I so loved.
Le Christine has changed chefs numerous times over the years, and with these changes have come evolutions in the cuisines, flavors, and offerings. Some of my favorite dishes of past iterations are no longer around, but it’s still a stalwart of mine, particularly for the neighborhood, and definitely a good address to have in your back pocket.
Le Christine – 1, Rue Christine, 75006