Dinner at Les Deux Magots, Paris

It is the day after the end of my summer course in Tours, and having returned to Paris this morning together with Angela, we decided to go for a final dinner before she returns to Singapore first. This evening's choice was none other than Les Deux Magots, one of a famous trio of historical cafés in the St. Germain area, including Café Flore and Brasserie Lipp, which have played an important role in Parisian cultural life. Les Deux Magots itself has hosted famous writers and artists in the past such as Verlaine, Rimbaud, Hemingway and Picasso. For anyone interested in French literature and art, Les Deux Magots is a must-do in Paris, if for nothing else but to immerse oneself temporarily in the air of cultural sophistication that this café continues to exude. In my experience, it also happens to serve the best food of the trio, which is why I have decided to feature it in this blog (I'd first visited all three cafés back in 2012). Admittedly, prices here are higher compared to their counterparts, but they are well justified, as you will see.

Les Deux Magots was founded in 1812 and takes its name from the novelty shop that had been on the original premises. A pair of Chinese-style statues (hence 'Deux Magots') adorning one wall of the interior bears testimony to the origins of the café as well as the penchant for chinoiserie in Europe during that era. Its location is also incredibly convenient; you cannot miss it once you've exited the Saint-Germain-des-Prés metro station. Café Flore is right next to Les Deux Magots while Brasserie Lipp is just across the road, so you shall be quite spoilt for choice around that junction!

As they say, when in Rome, do as the Romans do; Parisians love sitting out on the terrasse on a warm summer's day dining al fresco, so that's exactly what we did. Our space felt very cosy despite it being in the open, and I loved the view of the streets and buildings around us. It was quite interesting to note how literally nobody was inside the café; as a typical Asian tourist you might get some bewildered looks from the waiters if you asked to be as far away from the smoke and noise as possible.

Les Deux Magots does not offer any prix fixe menu; everything has to be ordered off a standard à la carte menu with several options for each course, which can add up to a rather significant cost if you're going for the typical 3-course format. Angela decided on just one main course, while I went for all 3 courses, and offered her tasters of my starter and dessert.

Starter: fresh salmon tartare with citrus and crunchy cucumber.

Generous chunks of fresh salmon had been marinated very simply with lemon juice and chives, then arranged as a thick disc and garnished with fresh lemon slices, baby radishes, alfalfa sprouts and dill, before bits of finely grated cucumber were sprinkled over the dish. The acidity from lemon could have been overwhelming on its own, but used judiciously, it balanced the rich oily taste of the salmon perfectly and highlighted its freshness. The other garnishings provided further refreshment, and I particularly loved the sweet and warm aroma of fresh dill, which never goes wrong with any fish dish. There were some lovely textures in this dish too, from the moist and succulent salmon, to the juicy lemon slices, and crunchy radishes and cucumber. On the whole, this was a crisp and elegant starter which effectively cleansed my palate and stimulated my tastebuds.

Main: chicken supreme with seasonal vegetables and thyme lemon butter.

This was Angela's choice and it turned out to be a very good one indeed. Chicken often becomes very dry in the hands of lesser chefs so I'm quite wary of ordering it, but this large thigh cut didn't have that problem at all, even though the meat was quite thick. It had been very well seasoned and turned out very tasty and succulent, with a skin that was nicely browned and crisp from the roasting. The accompanying blanched vegetables retained a slight crunch as well as all their natural delicate sweetness. Finally, the thyme lemon butter not only added a further touch of richness to the texture of the chicken, but also provided overall balance in the dish with its fresh, citrusy and piney flavour. This was certainly one of the best chicken dishes I've tried in a while.

Main: fillet of sea bass à la plancha, with spinach and crustacean coulis.

Having worked up an appetite from my starter, this large fillet was perfect. I love well-prepared fish, and this sea bass was no exception. The fillet was thin enough for the fish to be cooked through quickly by grilling on a very hot metal plate, and very little of the fish's natural moisture had been lost, resulting in a flesh that was both tender and succulent. The skin turned out delightfully crisp and charred. A generous lashing of thick sauce similar to a very rich lobster bisque contributed further intense flavours that complemented the mild-tasting flesh excellently. Finally, this tasty and wholesome dish was completed by the bed of soft-boiled spinach on which the fish sat. Faultless and very satisfying indeed.

Dessert: warm Tarte Tatin with vanilla ice cream.

The dessert options at Les Deux Magots are very traditionally French and there's very little that can go wrong. Unusually, they also offer a small selection of pastries on behalf of Pierre Hermé (no doubt a touristy thing - the brand sells), though at 15 euros per piece, they are more than thrice as expensive as what it would cost to do a takeaway from the nearby flagship Hermé boutique. For that price, it would be better to choose something made in-house. I went for an excellent apple tart, with huge and juicy chunks of apples caramelised in butter and sugar, resting on a puff pastry base. (I shall leave the reader to find out more about the history of this classic 'inverted' French apple tart.) The caramelised apples had kept their shape perfectly while being absolutely soft and melt-in-the-mouth. They possessed a profound sweetness and captivating aroma that were unlike any apple tarts I've had in a long time. By contrast, the light, airy and flaky puff pastry base was an almost fleeting experience, supporting the intensity of the apples with subtle and pleasant buttery accents to each bite. On the side, a scoop of vanilla ice cream made with real vanilla pods complemented the apple tart remarkably with its rich and smooth texture, and warm and sweet aroma. I couldn't have asked for a better way to finish this superb dinner.

In summary, the prices here are somewhat high by bistro standards, but the portions are generous and both the cooking and ambience are outstanding. This place certainly transcends the usual tourist trap. The service is generally efficient if a tad brusque, as is typical in Paris, especially on a busy summer's evening - one just gets used to it, I suppose. No major complaints as we both got what we came for: great homely cooking with refined touches. Well worth a visit when you're in town!