This is one of the oldest restaurants in Paris, and you may have seen it already. Set on the very commercial and lively rue Montorgueil, Escargot Montorgueil opened in 1832 when France was still in the July Monarchy, under the reign of Louis-Philippe I.
It has been almost 200 years the Parisian institution serves French dishes to gourmets, Parisians and tourists. Inside, the Second Empire decoration takes us back to a lost era, but the travel back in time mostly works on plates, thanks to a menu revolving around one major French gastronomy staple – you get it with the name of the eatery – Burgundy Snail.
This classic – invented in 1814 by chef of kings and king of chefs Antonin Carême – is served in a very classic but fiendishly delicious version based on herb butter. As well as in more original and never-before-seen recipes like the Espelette pepper version – so good – or with foie gras and truffle for esthetes, or even brie if you like cheese.
These little wonders can be eaten by 6 or 12 (between €12 and €36 depending on the recipe and how many snails you want), or even in a generous platter of 36 Burgundy snails mixing the five recipes (€80), so you can treat yourselves to this French specialty many tourists are jealous of. Of course, snails are prepared by the book, traditionally and with the greatest care, previously blanched then cooked in court-bouillon uplifted with spices and herbs.
For all that, Escargot Montorgueil’s menu does not limit itself to this classic, as the place unveils lots of traditional dishes such as duck pâté en croute with a hearty foie gras and whole pistachio core (€15), frogs’ legs Escoffier fashion (€14), Rossini beef fillet of an incredible tenderness (€36), as well as lighter dishes likely to please smaller appetites such as this spring variation of the first asparagus of the season (€15).
As for desserts, they are all about tradition as well, but lighter, like the crêpes Suzette flambéed to order in front of you (€15), some lemony cream pavlova with fresh mango and lime (€11). With its impressive golden snail on the façade, Escargot Montorgueil deserves a long lunch or dinner as long as you want to enjoy well-made French gastronomy dishes.
This test has been carried out as part of a business invitation. If your experience differs from ours, please let us know in the comments.
Dates and Opening Time
Starts 4 April 2022
Location
L'Escargot Montorgueil
38, rue Montorgueil
75001 Paris 1
Official website
escargotmontorgueil.com
Booking
escargotmontorgueil.com