*Humblebrag Alert*:Â As someone who cooks fairly well at home, there are a few things I’ll order quite rarely in a restaurant.
One is steak. Most of the time, I feel like I can get meat that’s just as good (if not better) from my co-op and then cook it the way I like it – rare, finished with butter. Another is pasta. I grew up on pasta, and I like it a very specific way. More often than not, especially in Paris, I find that restaurants just don’t get it quite right – and it’s far more expensive to order out than the handful of euros it costs me to prepare it myself.
But I do not regret ordering the pasta at Le Bel Ordinaire.
This is a spot that’s been on my to-visit list for a while, the sort of wine-forward establishment that’s casual enough to enjoy on a random weeknight but that has a kitchen that really knows what it’s doing. The seasonal small plates menu featured more than a handful of enticing dishes, and on a recent visit, a friend and I sampled four of them.
We started things off with a brasserie classic:Â oeufs-mayo. This simple combination of boiled eggs and mayonnaise can appear in many different forms around Paris: sometimes, the eggs are hard-cooked and the mayonnaise is from a jar; other times, as in the case of le Bel Ordinaire, the eggs are barely set and the mayonnaise is homemade.
I’d enjoy it no matter what, but I have to say that this version, with fresh herbs, farm-raised eggs, and a touch of black sesame, really set the bar high for what was to come.
Next up, we enjoyed yet another dish I don’t usually order in restaurants: crab and avocado. While in many Parisian brasseries, the crab is actually krab, I knew that le Bel Ordinaire would have high standards, and this definitely didn’t disappoint: thin slices of fresh porcini mushroom, green apple, and avocado were layered top a generous pile of fresh crab.
On a recommendation from our server, we ordered this spelt risotto with Comté emulsion. Rich and decadent, it was a strong contender for my favorite dish of the night. The sprinkling of freshly ground pepper and scallion was perfect for cutting the heaviness of the dish. And while I wanted to devour every spoonful, I was glad to share this with someone: what looked like a small portion quickly became quite filling.
For as delicious as the risotto was, this dish of papardelle and beef cheek sauce narrowly beat it out for first place in my heart. I couldn’t get enough of it.
Not only were the house-made noodles themselves sheer perfection, but the rich, meaty sauce offered a surprising touch of brininess, thanks to the addition of olives and what I believe may have been preserved lemon. I couldn’t stop eating it… long after I was full.
With quality bread from Ten Belles and a short-but-sweet list of wines by the glass (and a huge selection by the bottle), le Bel Ordinaire has definitely won my heart.
Le Bel Ordinaire -Â 54 Rue de Paradis, 75010