Le Christine -- Restaurant Review

 

1 Rue Christine, 75006, Paris

General information, menu, directions, reservations: https://lechristine.becsparisiens.fr/

Rating Standards: 5-Stars = Extraordinary; 4-Stars = Excellent; 3-Stars = Average; 2-Stars = Fair; 1-Star = Poor € = Inexpensive: 30€ and under; €€ = Moderate: 31€-49€; €€€ = Expensive: €50 -75; €€€€ = Very Expensive: more than €76 (prices based on minimum 2-courses)

1-Bell = Pleasantly quiet (less than 65 decibels); 2-Bells = Can talk easily (65-70); 3-Bells = Talking normally gets difficult (70-80); 4-Bells = Can talk only in raised voices (75-90); BOMB = Too noisy for normal conversation (90+)

4.00 - Star...............................€€€€..................................... 4 🔔

This is my last review in Paris before I return to the US and hibernate for the winter, and will not resume until I return April 2025. And, what a way to end. We had some friends from California and I decided on this restaurant because it was close to where they were staying and it also had excellent reviews. From the outside it looks very small, but in actuality, the restaurant extends to the back with a little see through to the kitchen. 

It's a cozy restaurant, it can get loud at times. I would say about 90% of the customers were foreigners from all over. So, I was taken aback by not seeing more french people and I became suspicious.

You can order a-la-carte or the prix-fixe dinners. But it appears to be a better deal to order the prix-fixe. The 5-course was €69 or 6-courses for €95. You can also order a wine pairing for an additional price. There were 4 of us and we opted for the 5-course dinner and in addition a cheese course, not included in the prix-fixe, so 6-courses all together.

I'm not sure if this was a course or not, but we were given this bread (1 slice each, like a soft garlic bread) with a specialty butter with paprika. As soon as we finished they whisked it away but left the butter.. 

Nettle refresher with fennel gel. 

Our wait-person told us this was a palate cleanser? I found this odd since we really didn't have anything to cleanse other than the bread. I think this would've been better served if it was served in between the entrée and the plat or even after the plat. With that said it was very citrusy, and it was refreshing. Although it was tart, there were bursts of sweet. Overall, a good dish, but a misplaced order in the large scheme of the many courses we had. 

Artichauts Camus, sapin, tempura de bonite séchée, huile de sésame, mouron et zeste de citron vert (artichokes hearts, dried bonito tempura, sesame oil, chickweed and lime zest)

Texturally, I think it was a great combination. The artichoke hearts were soft and creamy whereas the bonito flakes gave it a nice crunch. It was a simple dish that looked complicated, but nice basic flavors.

Cabillaud de St Guénolé confit, céleri-rave rôti, sauce cresson et gingembre, citron noir, gel de ponzu (Confit St Guénolé cod, roasted celeriac, watercress and ginger sauce, black lemon, ponzu gel)
 

The cod was perfectly cooked, extremely moist. The celeriac came 2-ways, cubed as well as a purée  used as a sauce. The Watercress sauce was a nice accompaniment and did not overwhelm the delicate way the cod was cooked. Overall, a very good dish.

Volaille noir des Dombes, girolles au vin jaune, artichaut poivrade et huile d’estragon (Black poultry from Dombes, chanterelles in yellow wine, artichoke with pepper and tarragon oil)

The chicken was perfectly cooked. Very, very moist. I am not a fan of foam, so the sauce that came with it (chanterelle in wine) was not my favorite. The lettuce for garnished could've been replaced with something more typical, eg haricot vert. The taste and textures were all over the board for me, but overall a good dish, but not outstanding. 

Assiette de fromages du moment (Cheese plate) 

This did not come with the prix-fixe meal. Like I always say, you can't go wrong with cheese in France. We had the Bleue, St. Marcellin, Compte, and Chevre. My favorite was the bleue.

Ganache gianduja, mousse au grand Marnier, glace vanille et café, grué de cacao (Gianduja ganache, Grand Marnier mousse, vanilla and coffee ice cream, cocoa nibs)

I don't normally eat desserts, but decided it's my last "nice" dinner in Paris so I broke down and had some. I have to say, I'm glad I did. The dessert was so light and tasteful. Great ending to a nice meal. The ganache was light and the chocolate nibs gave it a nice crunch. Overall, an excellent dessert. 

MIGNARDISE (A bite-sized dessert sometimes served at the end of a meal)

Typically served as a parting snack in France, a tid-bit. It was a french version of chocolate chip cookies. It was good.

Domaine des Clochers, Allegory 2021 Saumur Blanc

A white wine from the Loire Valley, typically made from Chenin Blanc grapes:

Appearance: Pale gold with greenish reflections, clear and bright.

Aroma: The nose is vibrant and aromatic, offering notes of white flowers (honeysuckle, jasmine), citrus fruits (lemon, grapefruit), and orchard fruits like green apple and pear. Subtle minerality and hints of honey and wet stone are present, reflecting the terroir.

Palate: On the palate, it is fresh and lively, with a zesty acidity that lifts the flavors. The citrus and green apple notes are prominent, along with flavors of quince, melon, and a touch of almond. There is also a characteristic minerality, giving the wine a crisp, clean texture.

Finish: The finish is long and refreshing, with lingering notes of citrus zest, floral nuances, and a slightly chalky minerality.

SUMMARY

Le Christine is an expensive restaurant and not for everyone. But it's definitely a tasting experience of different flavors, but a cohesive theme. Only complaint I have is in the order of courses, the palate cleanser should've definitely served much later, preferably in the middle of the courses.

My favorite was the artichoke, I'm partial to artichokes.

I think it's more of a tourist restaurant rather than a local neighborhood restaurant. Is it a romantic restaurant? NO. The restaurant is cozy, albeit can be very noisy. They have an army of servers, and they even have a resident sommelier, who was very well versed. Net-net the service was excellent. Very slow paced. Our dinner was 3 1/2 hours long, which I enjoyed.

Overall the food was very good and nicely presented,  but none of the dishes WOW'd me nor JJ. For the price point, there should've been some WOW moments. Would I go back, probably for lunch since it's less expensive. 

For 4-prix-fixe meals at €69 each=276, 2-bottles of perrier €10 each) , a bottle of wine (€108), 2 cheese plates (€38 each) and 1-glass of red = €29 our total came to €467 or divided by 4-people = €116.75.