I received a press release from 24 Le Restaurant in late November announcing the chef would be preparing a Thanksgiving menu. It intrigued me a French chef was taking on creating a Thanksgiving menu and his version included crispy turkey picatta with stuffing, potatoes, mango coulis and honey mustard sauce followed by cinnamon and pumpkin cream with vanilla and Macadamia nut ice cream, tempted me but I already made my plans to have a traditional Thanksgiving at a friends house.
I asked the publicist the following week if I could come to the restaurant to try the regular menu. He generously invited me to come and to bring a friend.
24 Le Restaurant is located in the 8th arr. near the Champs Elysees. I don’t frequent this area for restaurants, as the choices are either fast food or expensive menus catering to the upscale tourist trade. 24 Le Rest was expensive but didn’t see overpriced or for the tourist trade.
Hakim Seghaier the owner, an imposing figure impeccably dressed in a well-tailored suit and silk tie warmly greeted us at the door taking our coats and seating us on a banquette. His first order of business was to offer a glass of Champagne, which we happily said yes to. It was 7:30PM and the restaurant was quiet.
The tastefully appointed dining room was dimly lit with smoky gray walls, leather tufted club chairs and black wall panels painted with calligraphy by Tunisian artist Shoof. Even though the restaurant wasn’t that big, it felt spacious and comfortable with ample space between the tables.
The limited menu choice of three entrees and 5 plats all looked appealing. A starter of artichokes and sun ripened tomatoes in a light bouillon bath had a space age presentation in a crystal sphere and my friend enjoyed a house made foie gras with a touch of pear chutney and Granny Smith apple. Two thick slices of filet mignon of veal with delicate onion ravioli was hearty by not heavy, satisfying my craving for meat that evening.
After having a hard time choosing dessert after asking so many questions, the kitchen solved our problem and brought out one of each. The artful presentation of chocolate fondant, tarte tartin, lemon meringue tart and poached pineapple in vanilla dazzled us and the taste as well. It was a cold night and the long, leisurely dinner in the lovely dining room soothed our souls and taste buds.
Barely being able to move after our dessert orgy, I went to the kitchen to meet the chef and his staff. I got a shot of the caramel skinned, handsome head chef Erwan Merdrignac, who formerly worked with Yannick Alleno at Hotel Scribe and The Maurice, smiling below his hanging copper pots.
We spoke to Hakim Seghaier for a bit about the restaurant before we left and told him how much we enjoyed the experience.
24 rue Jean Mermoz, 75008
Metro: Franklin Roosevelt
Tel: +33 1 42 25 24 24
www.24lerestaurant.fr
Open Monday to Friday Lunch 12PM-2:30PM, dinner 7PM to 10:30PM,Saturday dinner only, closed Sunday
Lunch menus 29€ for two courses, 33€ for three courses
Chef Erwan Merdrignac & staff
Eye Prefer Paris Photos
I am happy to announce a new series of Eye Prefer Paris photos for sale just in time for the holidays. Give the gift of Paris to for your Francophile friends, relatives, colleagues and co-workers.
- I’ve listed 20 new photos on my Etsy page for easy shopping.
- Photo prints come in two sizes, 8”X10”, $35 each plus shipping and 11”X14”, $50 each, plus shipping.
- They are printed on Fuji crystal Archive metallic paper with rich satin gloss finish and are unsigned and unframed.
- Shipping is $6 per photo in continental U.S. and shipping time is 3-5 days via USPS.
- I can also ship them UPS or Fedex for an extra charge.
- If you are ordering photos as a gift, I can write a personal note card if you send me your text.
Click here to see full selection of images.
https://www.etsy.com/shop/EyePreferParis?ref=hdr_shop_menu
Below are some sample images.
Eye Prefer Paris Postcards
I am thrilled to announce the launch of Eye Prefer Paris Postcards, a 3, 6 or 12-month subscription service where the subscriber receives three physical postcards of my iconic Paris photos every month. Each month will have a specific theme, from architectural street scenes to romantic outdoor cafes to beautiful gardens to unique shots of iconic monuments. Each mailing will include two postcards in color and one in black & white or sepia, beautifully packaged in a special French Blue postcard holder with a custom designed seal.
Each 6” X 4.25” traditional size postcard is printed on thick matte coated card stock, similar to traditional vintage postcard stock that enhances the vibrancy of every image.
Only $30 for a 3-month subscription plus shipping or
Only $60 for a 6 month subscription (plus shipping)or
$110 for a 12-month subscription (plus shipping)
Click here to order a 12-month subscription from my Etsy store
Click here to order a 6-month subscription from my Etsy store
Click here to order a 3-month subscription from my Etsy store
Come experience Eye Prefer Paris live with Eye Prefer Paris Tours, which are 3-hour walking tours I personally lead. Eye Prefer Paris Tours include many of the places I have written about such as small museums & galleries, restaurants, cafes, food markets, secret addresses, fashion & home boutiques, parks and gardens and much more. In addition to my specialty Marais Tour, I also lead tours of Montmartre, St. Germain, Latin Quarter, in addition to Shopping Tours, Gay Tours, Girlfriend Tours, Food Tours, Flea Market Tours, Paris Highlights Tours, and Chocolate & Pastry tours.
Tours start at 225 euros for up to 3 people, and 75 euros for each additional person. I look forward to meeting you on my tours and it will be my pleasure and delight to show you my insiders Paris.
Check it out at www.eyepreferparistours.com
Click here to watch a video of our famous Marais tour
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