For years, I’ve had a tradition of taking the Country Boy to a restaurant for his birthday, and since at heart, he is a simple man with simple tastes, I always found myself doing some version of the same Google search about a month before March 18th: “best steak-frites in Paris.”
Steak-frites (also known as a steak with French fries) can definitely be ho-hum, when steak-frites is good, it’s a revelation. I’ve had a few excellent ones, but none as simply good as that at Le Severo (emphasis on both simple and good).
And for good reason. The restaurant is owned by a former butcher, William Bernet, who may be one of the only French chefs to understand the benefit of a truly aged steak. The meat is flavorful and perfectly seared, so much so that it would only be bogged down by condiments and garnishes.
While the meat is the star of this menu, I beg of you: don’t skip the appetizers. Reasonably priced and simple, they might include seasonal heirloom tomatoes, simple yet excellent charcuterie, or my personal favorite, boudin noir: blood pudding with just a bit of apple compote to cut through the richness.
The desserts continue in the same vein: traditional, simple, and well-executed, from the clafoutis to the chocolate mousse to the crème caramel.
As far as I’m concerned, that’s more than enough reasons to pay this restaurant a visit, but if you need another, consider this: Le Severo is closed on weekends. And if they have enough reservations on weeknights to be turning away Saturday night customers (and they do – be sure to book in advance, especially with a large party), there must be a good reason.
Le Severo – 8, rue des Plantes, 75014