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Le Récamier
Le Récamier is where I can be found within an hour or so after clearing customs.
I've dreamt about this place consistently since discovering it several decades ago,
back when it was a tiny hole in the wall called La Cigale. Why, you ask, do I return
here every trip? In a word: soufflés.
These are perhaps the best of their kind in Paris—or perhaps the best anywhere.
In case your dining experience is limited to what you can find under the Golden
Arches, a soufflé is a confection of whipped egg whites, egg yolks, and some flavor-
ing that can be savory—chicken, vegetables, mushroom, any number of cheeses—
or sweet, like chocolate, raspberry, or vanilla. In the oven it rises to new, fluffy
heights, and the restaurant always has some creative versions on deck. (I still have
fond memories of a soufflé with Époisses de Bourgogne, a rich Burgundian cheese,
that I tried a few years ago.)
There are other good things on the menu here, though I can't tell you what they
are firsthand. (My most recent visit began with a—you guessed it—soufflé with
escargots and lots of garlic; for dessert, it was salted caramel.) If you stop by when
the weather is temperate, there's a charming covered patio outside that further
heightens this lovely dining experience. 4 Rue Récamier, 7th Arrondissement,
+01 45 48 86 58, lerecamier.com
The best soufflé in
Paris can be found at
Le Récamier.
PHOTO
COURTESY
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