I hope, since my last review, that you have managed to visit L’Ami Louis. If you found the bill shocking you can’t say I didn’t warn you. The good news is that I have another fantastic bistro for you to try but this one has a far more reasonable fare. It goes by the name of Bistro Allard.
Allard has a history of culinary excellence, giving it an enviable status among Parisian eateries. Its current owner Claude Layrac, who also runs Roger la Grenouille, has faithfully maintained the memory of its founder, Fernande Allard, with a zinc bar, chequered floor tiling and intimate dining rooms. Indeed the Guide Gastronomique de Paris described Chez Allard as, “Très grande cuisine dans un décor simple.” That the guide was written in 1953 shows how little has changed in the 55 plus years that have lapsed. But with a cuisine that pays homage to the freshness and honesty of home cooked food, to say the décor plays second fiddle is totally misleading – the décor is not even in the band.
Relaxed, informal and impervious to food fads, this unique bistro is located on Paris’ Left Bank; close the Pont Neuf, within the sixth arrondissement. It has a unique address, or rather, addresses: 1 Rue de L’Eperon and 41 Rue Saint-André-des-Arts. This does not mean here are two locations but rather that Allard sits on the corner of both streets. Significantly, you enter through the kitchen - a clear sign that this establishment is mighty proud of its food.
My first piece of advice is that you book a table well in advance. Secondly (and less obviously) you’d better visit the bathroom before you are seated as the management has squeezed in so many covers that the result is almost no gaps between tables. Indeed it is so tightly jammed that each table must be pulled well out just for you to get in.
Once nestled in and ready to go, order the escargots de Bourgogne (snails) or the canard de Challans (duck), they are both excellent quality. Then again it would be a crime not to try the turbot or the coquille St. Jacques - both come with a beurre blanc sauce - one of Fernande Allard’s trademarks. This is basically a wonderful butter sauce, invented by the women of the Loire that adds just the right amount sophistication to even the blandest of dishes.
I would not recommend the poulet de Bresse (whole roast chicken) as it is less of a sure thing and often these top quality fowls are not given the attention they deserve in the kitchen. On the other hand the Plats du jours are hearty and satisfying: go on a Monday for cassoulet (slow-cooked bean stew) and Tuesday for veau à la berrichonne (veal stew with a poached egg). Return on another day, I can’t quite remember which, for the delicious coq au vin. Speaking of which, lovers of burgundy will be delighted with Allard’s extensive selection of Romanee Conti that will satisfy even the most discerning clients.
One rather sour note is their dessert offerings, which unfortunately need an overhaul. However, upon ordering the bill all will be forgiven because eating here comes with such a reasonable price tag. This is a rare thing in Paris especially when you take into account the generous portions and the quality of the food served.
If you go for a business lunch, it’s as good as it gets. But dinner with friends is filled with such warmth and wellbeing that you will undoubtedly leave with a soft spot for Allard that will last you years to come. Enjoy!
Bistro Allard,
41 rue St-André-des-Arts, 6eme, Paris
Tel: +33 1 43 26 48 23
