Le Lys d'Or, the 12th arrondissement's Chinese institution for over 30 years

A veritable institution in the 12th arrondissement, the Le Lys d'Or restaurant is still standing, more than 30 years after it opened. And yet, it's not always easy to renew oneself while retaining the assets that have made it such a success with local gourmets.

Danyang and Shimin Chen, who have been at the helm of Le Lys d'Or for several decades, have successfully solved this equation, delighting lovers of authentic Chinese cuisine with their family-style dishes featuring China's 4 great gastronomic regions.

In the past, Shimin Chen's creative signature dishes have been crowned in numerous prestigious cooking competitions in mainland China, such as the "Zen Flower", gold medal in Shanghai in 2006, or the "Seven Treasures of the Lotus Flower", gold medal in Dalian in 1998 - now removed from the restaurant's menu.

Over the years, the Chen family has succeeded in renewing itself, offering more affordable and perhaps even simpler dishes, always in an elegant, traditional atmosphere, with its luxuriant decor, which was completely overhauled a few years ago, featuring numerous hanging and climbing plants, fountains and small streams.

For starters, the great classics are on parade: very, very plump, grilled pork ravioli (8€ for 4), with their delicious stuffing in which you can distinguish real bits of vegetable and meat; chicken nems (7.50€ for 4), crispy to perfection, to be wrapped in the traditional way in fresh lettuce and mint leaves; and, of course, an assortment of homemade dim sum (9€).

Note that Le Lys d'Or also offers affordable formulas: a bento express lunch formula at 14.90€, and a full Saveur formula at 22.90€. New for the fall season, the menu also features bian dan, warm and comforting dishes served with leeks, green cabbage and bean sprouts in stainless steel bowls that add a modern touch to the dishes.

We opted for the pad thaï with beef dumplings and ginger (15.90€) and the noodles with minced Peking duck (16.90€), but the choice was tough, as the pad thaï with braised pork ribs (15.90€), cooked using the Chinese hongshao technique, for two hours in a dark, amber soy sauce, was so eye-catching.

What's certain is that the pad thaï, udon and other bo buns are served so generously that we found it impossible to sample the desserts at Le Lys d'Or. But that's just a temporary reprieve!

This test was conducted as part of a professional invitation. If your experience differs from ours, please mention it in the comments.