Emily in France 🇫🇷 What Is a Bistro?
An all-important question
It should surprise no one at all that I love my job. Whether I’m escorting tourists to my favorite fromageries or interviewing a cheesemaker about the effects of climate change on her livelihood, exploring the culture behind French food and sharing what I learn with you fine folks is pretty much the dream.
But lately, I got the opportunity to work on a project I loved so much I was pinching myself: Concocting a list of the best bistros in Paris for the Infatuation.
Choosing which bistros to feature in this story was a task in and of itself, complicated in no small way by the fact that first, I had to figure out what the word bistro meant in a modern context. A “classic” bistro evokes a very specific image, a place with tables bedecked with gingham tablecloths and a chalkboard menu you barely need to read: escargots, house-made terrine, beef bourguignon, and offal in many forms should all feature. Vegetarians might fear they’ll leave hungry; carnivores should fear for their cholesterol level. Service should be efficient (by French standards, at least), and prices should be reasonable.
But these days, as I explored for Life & Thyme, this classic bistro is falling out of fashion. In the years following the bistronomy revolution of the ‘90s, whereby Michelin-starred chefs entered the bistro sphere, refining the recipes and jacking up the prices, we’ve seen the bistro get a bit of an international makeover. These days, places that look like bistros cater mainly to tourists – and have the prices to match – while places that most boast the convivial feel of a true bistro season their dishes with flavors from further afield, from kimchi to bottarga, served on tableware that may hail from the top modern ceramicists or the local flea market. Either way, it’s rare to find a gingham tablecloth in such a spot (except Chez Marius – a stalwart local fave of mine that made it onto the final list), and many restaurants purporting to serve bistro food are far from as convivial as the prototype should really be.
Ultimately, I decided the vibe was what was most important when designating a bistro. It should be the kind of place that makes you feel like you could easily become a local, where the staff is efficient but friendly and the food is frank and delicious. Other details like a zinc bar or tiled floor are welcome, and I’ll admit, I’m a sucker for a chalkboard menu. This is how I came to add spots like Au Petit Panisse, whose more modern offerings definitely make it atypical but, to my mind, no less a bistro.
When I was researching this project, I got to try a handful of new (to me) bistros, including Au Moulin à Vent, which took the “Best Bistro” award in the second edition of Trophées Pudlo Bistros late last year. This classic bistro was perhaps my most pleasant surprise, breaking with all of my preconceived notions of the genre. With its old-school menu bedecked with lighter, more modern touches, an imposing wine list and a staff that knows just how to sell it, and a true-blue local ambiance despite its central location in the 5th, it might be one of the last of its kind. So much so that I didn't even mind being scolded by my table neighbors for taking pictures. In fact, I welcomed it. After all, as far as they were concerned, I was in their living room.
Cheese of the Week
The Loire Valley is best known for its goat’s cheeses, so I was particularly besotted when I discovered this tomme de vache from the Cher, with its intensely caramelized notes. This cheese hails from François Priet on rue de la Roquette in the 11th, which I discovered thanks to my friend and dining buddy Peter Shelsky. The passionate team here always has new creations to discover!
To discover more of my favorite cheeses, be sure to follow me on Instagram @emily_in_france, subscribe to my YouTube channel, and tune into the Terroir Podcast, where Caroline Conner and I delve into France's cheese, wine, and more one region at a time.
What I’m Eating
Upon first entry, le Pantruche seems to afford a classic bistro ambiance, and yet a few small details afford a touch of what I can only dub glitz. With hindsight, this marriage of time-tested simplicity and a touch of modernity was the perfect way of foreshadowing the truly dazzling flavors to follow. More on the blog.
Where I’m Going
1. I’ve got family in town, so it’s gonna be a big eating week! Looking forward to returning to two of my favorites – Chez Georges and Bistrot des Tournelles – for classic French bistro fare.
2. To as many of my favorite fromageries as possible, to introduce my equally turophilic brother to the folks who keep me in cheese.
3. To my favorite restaurant in Paris (right now) for one last meal before they close.
What I’m Saying
When we hear the word "brûlée" in English, we're likely thinking about the sweet, shattery topping of a classic French dessert. But when Notre Dame suddenly caught fire in 2019, a whole other meaning of this word came into focus. Marie DeGross is a tour guide specialized as much in pastry as she is in the history of the military and first responders in France. She's joining me on Navigating the French to explore what makes the Paris Fire Brigade stand out on a national – and international – stage.
What I'm Writing
1. Ask a tourist to ID a bistro in Paris, and they’ll probably point to somewhere with a zinc bar, tiled floor, chalkboard menu, and a chain-smoking waiter guarding the entrance. Ask a Parisian, and they’ll push you in the opposite direction. For the Infatuation.
2. I’ve got a short story coming out in the next edition of Version Originale, Paris’ very own bilingual literary journal, coming out in June. Pre-order your copy today!
3. From the archives: Lump it in the category of pink-washing, green-washing, and rainbow-washing: For brewer Thomas Deck of Paris’ Deck & Donohue, terroir-washing is becoming a bit too pervasive in France. For Good Beer Hunting.
What I'm Reading
1. I’ve read many iterations of my dear friend Janet Skeslien Charles’ novel Miss Morgan’s Book Brigade, which tells the tale of the courageous women who banded together to help the inhabitants of the devastated French North during World War I. At long last, the book comes out in just one week – I implore you to pre-order your copy!
2. This incredibly well-researched and even-handed exploration of the raw milk industry. In Smart Mouth.
3. This kind-of scary story about the devolution of the nutritional qualities of our food. In Modern Farmer.
A bientôt !