Sunday, January 13, 2013

Le Baratin – An Influential, Quiet Voice on the Hill


My Pantheon in Paris sits in the 20th, not the 5th, Arrodissement in Paris.

I remember phoning for a reservation at Le Baratin when I arrived in Paris in 2007.  All tables were reserved for the entire week.  So, I did not make it to the restaurant that year.  Well, I got luckier the next time I was in Paris.

Le Baratin sits on the hill in the 20th Arrodisement in Paris.  Le Baratin opened its doors over 20 years ago.  Among the artisanal wine and food lovers, there is no equal to Le Baratin.  It is the place where all artisan Parisian trades’ people go to eat and drink.  It is a small restaurant, where the owner Raquel Carena is the chef and owner. It is like going to a friend’s family home for a dinner, except the chef and sommelier (the entire staff) are the best in the world! 

Simplicity and honesty reign at Le Baratin.  When I visited the restaurant, I did not recognize many dishes.  When I find myself in such situations in a restaurant that I respect, I simply surrender to the staff and I always have a great time.  By the way, if you show enthusiasm about wines, the staff may even recommend a wine from the cellar, which may not be on the chalk board.  I recommend saying “OUI” and asking the staff for a suggestion.  Oh one more thing.  Let go of your expectations on what a Parisian restaurant suppose to be and you will love Le Baratin.  

Le Baratin
3, rue Jouye Rouve, 75020 Paris
Tel: +33 1 43 49 39 70