Steak Frites, Relais de Venise and "secret" sauce

[mogsob]

Since the BSE scare, I've noticed that my familiar haunts for steak have altered their offerings (especially the absence of hangar steak).  The wife is demanding a great steak frites on our next trip and thought I would solicit recommendations.  My initial thought was Chez George.

Thanks.

[jaybee]

Beef in Paris?  You might try La Cote de Boef in the 17th, (4 rue Sauccier-Leroy, metro Ternnes), La Tour de Monthlérie (Chez Denise) in the 1st.  There is a "steakhouse" (sort of a Parisian Peter Lugers) out in the old meat district (I think it is Le Lion d"Or, but I'm not sure of the name or the exact location.  We once had a real steak pig-out there.  Moissoinier (in the 5th) serves a good onglet, and the cotes de boeuf at Les Fontaines (Place de Pantheon) is a specialty, as is steak au poivre.  Les Fontaines is a surprising place, as it looks like a rather ordinary café but has an amazing selection of choices and delicious food.  The "new" chef/owner trained with the founder for months before he would allow him to buy the place.

[mogsob]

I live in London for most of the year, and we've found the beef even worse than in Paris.  Next time in NYC, we're going to Luger's and Craft (SS's rec) to get our steak fix cured for good.

[Steve Plotnicki]

Mogsob - Try Le Gourmet des Ternes which is just off the Place des Ternes in the 8th. They have steaks of all shapes and sizes and will satisfy her urge. Make sure you book as it is small and fills up for each meal. The best hanger steak these days is at Le Mauzac, a medium size wine bar near the Sorbonne. I'd stay away from places like Au Boeuf Caronne on Avenue Jean-Jaures in the 19th which isused to be the meatpacking district. They are not what they used to be.

[kiliki]

I've heard of a place in Paris that serves nothing but steak, has hourly seatings, and is wildly popular. I'm fascinated by the very idea of a single menu item and hourly turnover. Can anyone give me the name and address, and is it any good?

[BigboyDan]

Two locations:

Le Relais de L'Entrecote, 8th, 15 Rue Marbeuf; Tel: 01 49 52 07 17

Le Relais de L'Entrecote, 6th, 20 bis rue saint benoît, 6th; Tel : 01 45 49 16 00

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Other good steak places:

59 Poincarée, 16th (Ducasse)

Rôtisserie d'en Face, 6th (Cagna)

Le Gourmet des Ternes, 8th, Place des Ternes

La Cote de Boef, 17th, 4 rue Sauccier-Leroy

Moissoinier, 5th

Les Fontaines, 1st

And, of course, La Coupole, 14th.

[Dwane Hahn]

Here is he web site for the L' Entrecote http://www.entrecote.fr/index.htm.

We had dinner on valentines last year and it was fantastic. It is true that you may only order steak and frittes. If your nice you can tell them how you want your steak prepared medium rare or medium rare. The steak was cooked to perfection with a spectacular amount of garlic butter infused into the steak. The frittes were crunchy on the outside and tender on the inside just as there suposed to be.

Be prepared for a crowd and wait. It is worth it!

[hathor]

We stumbled into Entrecote, not really paying attention, very late for lunch. It was fabulous...the steak was great, the frites were great, they keep it hot and bring you more. If that's all your looking for, its a great place to satisfy the hunger! Bon Appetit!

[Louisa Chu]

Dwane, that's not the site for the locations in Paris - that chain does not have locations here in Paris.

I had a friend from Cordon Bleu who loved that place - always went to the one in the 8th - but then again he was not a fan of French food - nor the French or Paris or France for that matter.

Me - for steak in Paris - I'd either go to Chez Denise or Au Boeuf Couronne.

[TarteTatin]

We're just finishing up two weeks in France. The first in the Languedoc region, the second here in Paris. Lots of pictures and talk about the places we dined, but it will most likely take a few weeks to organize it all. It was a delicious vacation!

So, for our last meal out, we would like a really good steak frites.

(people coming to our apartment Saturday night for "apero"),

I know we can go anywhere, but does anything stand out in your minds for this tomorrow,

Saturday lunch?

Merci!

[John Talbott]

We're just finishing up two weeks in France. The first in the Languedoc region, the second here in Paris. Lots of pictures and talk about the places we dined, but it will most likely take a few weeks to organize it all. It was a delicious vacation!

So, for our last meal out, we would like a really good steak frites.

(people coming to our apartment Saturday night for "apero"),

I know we can go anywhere, but does anything stand out in your minds for this tomorrow,

Saturday lunch?

Merci!

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I'd suggest Meating,122, avenue de Villiers, 01.43.90.10.10, (the ex-Apicius space in the 17th); open for Saturday lunch (which Unico, the hottest, best reviewed Argentinian beef place is not). I had a fine tartare and not awfully bad frites by Paris standards there in April.

[TarteTatin]

Thanks, John.

What about L'Relais de entrecote, which is closer to us, near Odeon I believe? Have you or anyone else heard about that?

Meating's reviews (when googled), says it specializes in American beef. The whole point is that we like the taste of French beef...

[Felice]

Thanks, John.

What about L'Relais de entrecote, which is closer to us, near Odeon I believe? Have you or anyone else heard about that?

Meating's reviews (when googled), says it specializes in American beef. The whole point is that we like the taste of French beef...

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It's probably too late, but I have been several times to the Relais de l'entrecote and am almost ashamed to say that I really like it. It's a great choice if you both want steak frites, because that is all they serve. You start with a salad with blue cheese and walnuts and then the waitress brings over thin slices of perfectly cooked steak topped with an herb butter sauce, if I remember correctly, and crispy French fries, and the last time I was there it was only 20€.

[Ptipois]

It's probably too late, but I have been several times to the Relais de l'entrecote and am almost ashamed to say that I really like it.  It's a great choice if you both want steak frites, because that is all they serve.  You start with a salad with blue cheese and walnuts and then the waitress brings over thin slices of perfectly cooked steak topped with an herb butter sauce, if I remember correctly, and crispy French fries, and the last time I was there it was only 20€.

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To answer the first message of this thread, I was going to suggest L'Entrecôte as well, not the one in Saint-Germain (where I have never been), but the one in Porte Maillot, boulevard Pereire, right near the RER station. The actual name of the restaurant is Le Relais de Venise and it's considered THE steak-frites place in Paris.

Not having tried the other addresses of the same name (Relais de l'Entrecôte) I cannot judge them, but the owners of Le Relais de Venise insist that their place is the original L'Entrecôte and that the other restaurants (including the one near Opéra) are knock-offs. They may well be very good too but (another thing Le Relais de Venise insists on) they do not have the recipe for the "secret sauce".

As Felice described, there is a fixed menu: salad with walnuts (no blue cheese in the original place if I remember well), noix d'entrecôte with "secret sauce" and perfect French fries, and absolutely luscious desserts if you're still hungry; all of that served by quick-gestured, motherly waitresses in black dress and white apron. No reservations, just wait in line outside, and the line can be long indeed. I've seen people waiting outside of that restaurant in freezing cold weather.

This place is interesting because it serves French beef at its best.

Edited January 6, 2007 by Ptipois (log)

[Felice]

To answer the first message of this thread, I was going to suggest L'Entrecôte as well, not the one in Saint-Germain (where I have never been), but the one in Porte Maillot, boulevard Pereire, right near the RER station. The actual name of the restaurant is Le Relais de Venise and it's considered THE steak-frites place in Paris.

Not having tried the other addresses of the same name (Relais de l'Entrecôte) I cannot judge them, but the owners of Le Relais de Venise insist that their place is the original L'Entrecôte and that the other restaurants (including the one near Opéra) are knock-offs. They may well be very good too but (another thing Le Relais de Venise insists on) they do not have the recipe for the "secret sauce".

This place is interesting because it serves French beef at its best.

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I have been to both restaurants a few times (there is another off the Champs Elysées I think) and indeed the Porte Maillot restaurant has that little something that makes it feel like the 'original', however I was very happy with my steak frites at the Saint Germain location as well and didn't notice a discernable difference in the food. I think I remember hearing (but could be very wrong) that the restaurants are owned by members of the same family who parted ways so to speak.

[Felice]

Well, it seems that these restaurants are so famous that they have made it into Wikipedia...

Relais de Venise

Makes me want steak frites

[Felice]

Cookbook author Mark Bittman searches for the best steak frites in Paris in an article in today's NY Times and I can't say that I would disagree with his list.

His favorites include Le Relais de Venise, which was listed above, le Sèvero, Le Bistro Paul Bert, Chez Georges and Au Boeuf Couronné, which I have yet to try but have heard is great and this article only makes me want to try it more.

Steak Frites: Seeking the Best of a Classic

[John Talbott]

Cookbook author Mark Bittman searches for the best steak frites in Paris in an article in today's NY Times and I can't say that I would disagree with his list. 

His favorites include  Le Relais de Venise, which was listed above, le Sèvero, Le Bistro Paul Bert, Chez Georges and Au Boeuf Couronné, which I have yet to try but have heard is great and this article only makes me want to try it more.

Steak Frites: Seeking the Best of a Classic

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Just to clarify for the record, while Bittman's article is on the NYT website today, don't go looking for it in today's print version, unless you live in NYC and it was delivered today, it will be in Sunday (April 29)'s Travel Section.

[hughw]

Here's the link to page 1 of MarK Bittman's article. http://travel.nytimes.com/2007/04/29/trave...html?ref=travel

[BackwardsHat]

I ate at a restaurant in Paris once... I cannot even remember the Arrondisment, but it was recommended as an "excellent" steak frites place... Can someone help me locate it?

Here's what I remember:

1) The steak frites was "for 2 people" and was served on a sort of iron skillet with the fries all around and under the steak

2) The steak was large slices, and pretty fatty

3) The fries were closer to steak cut (thick) fries than your typical french frites

4) The place had brick walls and was sort of a hole in the wall...

5) I believe there was a bar directly to the left when you walked in...

I have a picture of the steak I believe, I'll have to see if I can dig it up and post it if no one can identify the restaurant based on my above descriptions...

BTW, kudos to the OP... This is a great thread and I cannot wait to try some of these restaurants mentioned when I hit Paris this fall...

[42390]

I had a really good steak frites at la Rotonde on Blvd Montparnasse in December. This place was not on my dining schedule. We had a reservation at les Magnolias, the RER E line had a train hit a person at Gare Fontenay, as a result all traffic on the line stopped in both directions for way more than 2 hours. By the time the trains started running again we had no choice but to return to Paris and look for something else.

We ended up at la Rotonde (awarded Bibb Gourmand in the 2007 Red Guide). I had a pave rumsteak with pepper sauce off the 35e fixed menu, my wife had a filet with bernaise off the carte. Both were really good with crispy well made frites.

They have original Modiglianis on the wall, there is a story he paid for food there with paintings back in the day.

I only considered this place a let down because it was an ad hoc substitute for les Magnolias. If looking for a nicely done steak frites would return in an instant. It is right across the street from la Coupole (which was packed with a lengthy line that night, walked right in Rotonde). As part of the 35e fixed price menu I also had oeufs en meurette and profiteroles.

[John Talbott]

I ate at a restaurant in Paris once... I cannot even remember the Arrondisment, but it was recommended as an "excellent" steak frites place...  Can someone help me locate it?

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It would be helpful to me (and I suspect others) if you could give some geographical/landmark references, for instance, where did you go afterwards, what metro stop? as well as any other memories - think it's still open because it was founded a million years ago, famous for some other dish, was next to another place you recall, etc?

I love questions like this, but so far no IBM punch card has fallen into view.

[OAKGLEN]

OK, I have to join this fray. It was Steak au Poivre avec frites that started me on this love affair with French/Parisian bistros. We had no money; stayed at a place called Hotel Paradis, just off Place Abessess. The bottom two floors rented by the hour; we were on the top floor with an expansive view of most of Paris. The Bistro (now long gone) was called Au Carrillon, across the street from the church . A husband and wife team ran the place with the assistance of an unseen helper in the tiny kitchen.

[OAKGLEN]

Sorry, my computer is acting up. What I was about to say was that the Chef at Au Carrillon taught me that you can serve Steak Au Poivre with just a copper pan and an alcohol flame. We kept ordering the dish until I had his process down pat. Their steak was extremely flavorable but not fork tender. That is the essential difference between pen-raised American beef and what you get on the continent. Today, my favorite steak dishes in Paris are at Les Gourmets des Ternes, 87 bd de Courcelles; perhaps more pricey than the NYT restos but still superb.

[BackwardsHat]

OK, I have to join this fray.  It was Steak au Poivre avec frites that started me on this love affair with French/Parisian bistros.  We had no money; stayed at a place called Hotel Paradis, just off Place Abessess.  The bottom two floors rented by the hour; we were on the top floor with an expansive view of most of Paris.  The Bistro (now long gone) was called Au Carrillon, across the street from the church .  A husband and wife team ran the place with the assistance of an unseen helper in the tiny kitchen.

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I can absolutely relate... I spent many summers growing up in Paris... I would eat at the corner bistro (still there!) once a week... (But in hindsight, it's not that great, but nostalgic)... I also fell in love with Poulet Grille that I would buy from the boucherie... And of course, baguette avec jambon from the patisserie... Those 3 "foods" are still my favorites to this day!!!

I think I'd rate them as such:

First - Steak Frites

Second - Baguette avec jambon de paris

Third - Poulet Grille...

Man, I miss Paris! I envy those of you living there now... Anyway, I digress... I will post pictures of the "mystery" steak frites along with some location information tonight...