Bistro Instinct -- Restaurant Review

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For information, reservations, menu, check their website: https://bistrotinstinctparis3.fr/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+)

4.70 - stars ...................€€€.................................  BOMB

This is a restaurant recommended from close friends who live close and swear by it, so we went.

Bistrot Instinct is in the Michelin Guide, though it doesn’t currently have a Bib Gourmand. A lot of people assume it does because the food is excellent without the usual Michelin-level sticker shock, and the whole vibe is relaxed, lively, and very “cool Paris neighborhood bistrot” rather than white-tablecloth ceremony. Michelin describes it as serving market-fresh, modern bistronomic cuisine with updated classics, and it’s built quite the reputation in the Haut-Marais among Paris food lovers for creative seasonal cooking that still feels fun and approachable. All true.

It was a bit of a challenge finding the street, you have to traverse through different small streets, so I suggest you use google maps.

The interior is very compact and intimate, maybe seating for around 30 people total. Since we went during the current Paris heatwave, the room was… let’s just say authentically warm. Oh well. Adds to the experience, non?

They offered both the regular à la carte menu and a seasonal tasting menu for €68 per person, with an optional drink pairing for another €28 that included cocktails, sparkling wine, and wine throughout the meal. Three of us went for the tasting menu with the pairings and honestly, it felt very reasonably priced for the quality. Then again, this is Paris, where you can still find genuinely excellent wine without the absurd markups.

What surprised me most was that almost everyone dining there seemed to be foreign. Considering it’s tucked away and not exactly easy to stumble upon, I just assumed it'd be a local restaurant, but Bistrot Instinct is clearly becoming something of a destination restaurant.

A cold, refreshing jasmine tea arrived with a slice of dried citrus. I have to say, it was such a welcome relief on such a warm evening. Light, floral, and incredibly refreshing. More surprisingly, I’d never had a herbal tea served over ice in Paris before. Thank you, Buddha.

Amuse-bouche: mackerel over Japanese crackers. Another welcome start to the meal, especially since it was served at room temperature. The mackerel lacked that overly strong fishy taste it can sometimes have, and the crackers somehow managed to stay perfectly crisp. A very good beginning.

Entree #1 Artichoke, brown butter, Parmesan, basil. At first glance, the dish looked quite copious, though I joked that half of it was air. In reality, it was a beautiful composition of artichokes in different forms: tender leaves, velvety artichoke purée, and, best of all, a perfectly poached egg. Much to my surprise, the egg was flawlessly cooked despite the dish being served at room temperature. Everything worked together beautifully, with a few crunchy strands scattered throughout for texture. Light, elegant, and very satisfying.

Wine Pairing, Preamble,  it’s actually an English sparkling wine rather than French, though stylistically it drinks very much like a refined grower Champagne.  JJ, not usually a white wine drinker and never champagne, liked it and said it tasted similar to cider which he does like.

Entree #2. Green Asparagus Tempura

Hay-Smoked Trout, Candied Egg Yolk, Nori Seaweed, Lemon Kosho, and Yuzu.
Very simple dish in appearance, but I'm sure a lot of effort was made to compose this dish.  The tempura asparagus had a wonderful crunch while the asparagus itself stayed soft yet still firm. It was surrounded by lightly blanched asparagus, adding a fresh contrast. I didn’t really pick up much nori, but the lemon and yuzu came through beautifully, giving the dish a bright citrus lift. The warm tempura against the cool vegetables made for a really lovely combination of both textures and temperatures.

Pairing: Domaine de Cantaussel’s Aucel Blanc is bright, fresh, and wonderfully easy to drink. Made from 100% Vermentino, it opens with citrus, white flowers, and a touch of exotic fruit. On the palate, there’s crisp minerality balanced by notes of white peach, lemon, and stone fruit, with a clean, lightly spicy finish. Refreshing without being too sharp, and perfect for warm evenings or seafood dishes.

Pork Loin Maitre d'Hôtel Butter, Dauphine Potatoes, Miso, Pak Choi, Kimchi, Verjus. Our waiter told us it was veal, but honestly, it tasted more like pork to me, so I’m just calling it “whatever meat.” Hard to fully tell since the dish was covered in a very rich, heavily reduced stock. Still, it was a very good, hearty course. If I’m being honest though, this was probably my least favorite of the evening, simply because it was a bit too rich for my palate. The pommes dauphine were nicely crisp, although the coating leaned slightly salty. The kimchi was thankfully mild, so as not to overwhelm the dish and added brightness without overpowering the dish.

Pairings: Paul Bueches, Les Terrasses Pinot Noir. Light and elegant, with bright notes of cherry, raspberry, and wild strawberry balanced by subtle earthiness and soft spice. Smooth tannins, fresh acidity, and a silky finish make it easy to drink without feeling heavy. A classic, food-friendly Pinot Noir style.

Dessert: Red Berry Cookie

Strawberry, Pepper, Lovage, Cherry, Mascarpone Cream. A great finish to the meal. The dessert may have looked like a little pile of mud, but underneath all the creams there was actually plenty of texture. The strawberry-cherry cream was light, refreshing, and pleasantly sweet, while the mascarpone added a mild richness and nice contrast. What really brought the dish together was the crunchy element, which gave it much-needed texture and kept it from feeling one-dimensional. Overall, a delicious dessert.

Pairings: Tequila with red berry juice. Although the cocktail itself was delicious, it just wasn’t for me. It had a bit too much tequila for my liking, and I’m not much of a hard liquor drinker. The “cherry juice,” as our waiter described it, was really a blend of red fruits — strawberries, berries, cherries, basically anything red made into a smoothie. Again, a very good cocktail, just stronger than I prefer. Unbeknownst to me, I could have ordered it as a mocktail, which is very good to know for our next visit.

NOTE: We did have a thank you shot of mint liquor, as a parting gift, I took a taste, it was really good, very minty and refreshing.

SUMMARY

WHEW. After all that, we somehow survived a night of absolute gluttony. The restaurant isn’t the easiest place to find from the métro, though arriving by taxi or Uber is much simpler. It’s also quite small, and I’ve been told reservations are becoming difficult because of its growing popularity.

The food was excellent and the service equally so. My only real complaint is the noise level. The ceilings in the main upstairs dining room are low, and with the tables packed closely together, it becomes almost impossible to hear conversation at times.

Don’t expect a lot of frou-frou here: no white tablecloths, no stuffy formality. It’s a simple, compact bistrot that’s entirely about the food. 

That said, this is one of the few “touristy” restaurants I would absolutely return to. The pricing feels very fair, especially the seasonal tasting menu with the optional wine pairing, which I highly recommend. Note: you must order the "seasonal tasting menu" in advance. 

I knocked the rating by .5 because of the noise. 

Costs: With 4 "seasonal tasting" menu of 5-courses = €272, wine paring for 3 = €84. A glass of wine for €12, our total bill came to €368 or  €84 each 

However, without the wine it was  €272 for 4-people or €68 each.  As well as an a la carte choosing, they also do a entrée or desert + plat, or entrée plat desert formule.