Vegetarian in Paris, Part Deux

Le Grenier de Notre-Dame, located on a quiet little street a block from Notre Dame cathedral.

The first time was serendipity. The second, quite deliberate.

During our last visit to Paris, my husband and I happened upon Le Grenier de Notre Dame purely by chance. I wrote about that experience here, a post which gets lots of Google hits from people searching for vegetarian restaurants in Paris—not willing, apparently, to depend upon serendipity to guide them.

So, I was eager to return and see what had changed at Le Grenier in the last two years. The answer was, not much. Upon walking in, I felt right at home. Standing behind the counter were the same waiter, the same owner, an open iBook in front of him (perhaps reading my review?). The same intimate interior, decorated, again, for Christmas. The menu seemed familiar too, though I had a hard time reading it (unfortunately, a vegan diet doesn’t improve the vision). There seemed to be an English description of the plats written, inexplicably, in white type underneath the French version. There were helpful photos, however, for the vision and language impaired.

I ordered L’Escalope de Seitan, a tender piece of breaded and lightly fried seitan. My husband got the paella and our friend ordered Moroccan couscous, served in a proper tagine. We also ordered a couple of starters, and aperitifs of Champagne and kir. The food was wonderful, quickly warming us up on a cold Parisian night, and the atmosphere was equally warm. When we discovered our table candle was fake (a Phillips safety candle) the waiter came over and demonstrated how it worked. By this time, the wine had had its effect and I dissolved in giggles. I guess you had to be there.

The place seems to be popular with Americans, as the other diners all spoke with American accents. We met an old friend of my daughter’s there, a student now living in Paris, who confirmed how difficult it is to get a vegetarian meal in France. Since eating animal products contributes in such a major way to global warming, it’s a shame that more restaurants don’t make it easier to eat lower on the food chain.

Meanwhile, there’s Le Grenier de Notre Dame, and a few others in Paris that cater to vegetarians and vegans.

The next night, after a miserable rainy afternoon, I dragged my husband from a warm hotel room to Le Potager du Marais in Les Halles, near the George Pompidou Centre. I didn’t know it until we arrived, but they serve food all day, a rarity in Paris. We could have gone earlier when we were wandering aimlessly around the district, but instead we waited until shortly after 7 p.m., showing up without reservations. Not a good idea, although they did find room for us at a table reserved for later. The restaurant has one long row of tables, jammed next to each other, seating about 25. You’re forced to sit right next to other diners, a common occurrence in tiny European restaurants. Don’t let that deter you; French diners are very quiet. Still, it’s a little disconcerting to have to pull out the table in order to squeeze in.

The menu at Le Potager is almost all vegan, with a few non-vegan plats. The carrot soup I started with was nothing special—I suspect they simply juiced some carrots and heated the whole thing. For our mains, I had the nut roast, served with under-cooked potatoes, and my husband had a lukewarm gratin of root vegetables. They probably took it out of the microwave too soon, though, at 16 euros a plat, you expect more than microwaved entrees.

The service was friendly; if we’d complained I’m sure those problems would have been fixed. However, the appetizer of mushroom paté almost made up for any shortcomings in the entrees. It was richly flavored, with hints of tarragon and ceps (porcinis). The best thing about Le Potager du Marais is its location and the fact it’s open before 7 p.m., allowing you to dine after you've exhausted yourself tramping around Paris.

But when I return to Paris—and I hope that's soon—I’ll definitely be heading back to Le Grenier de Notre Dame. Although serendipity doesn’t strike twice, good food, fortunately, is more consistent.

Le Grenier de Notre Dame: 18, Rue de la Bûcherie, Tel: 0143299829

Le Potager du Marais: 22, Rue Rambuteau, Tel: 0142742466

Comments

[Susan from Food Blogga]

That photo is so inviting. I'd love to wander inside.

[KathyF]

Susan, on a cold night, it was indeed inviting! (I went back the next day to get a photo, and to poke around in some of the nearby shops.)

[Diane]

I was very close to both of those restaurants when we were in Paris, but did not notice them. We didn't eat in any vegetarian restaurants while we were there, but we managed to do okay. There are some splendid Indian restaurants in Paris, and we ate at a few of them, a couple of good Italian ones, and the rest, sheer French, and somehow we made it work.

[KathyF]

Diane, I was looking in the phone book for an Indian restaurant, remembering what you said, but didn't find any near our hotel. Now I wish I'd looked harder! (There was a Chinese just down the street, but their menu wasn't promising.) Italian would probably be a good choice too.

[bazu]

I'm going to be in Paris in a few months, and my first visit as a veggie, so I'm really appreciating your posts on this topic!

Have I ever mentioned how jealous I am of all your travels...?

[bazu]

I'm going to be in Paris in a few months, and my first visit as a veggie, so I'm really appreciating your posts on this topic!

Have I ever mentioned how jealous I am of all your travels...?