Superbon: April Edition

The best dishes, drinks, and treats of the past month in Paris and London

Superbon is a monthly series for paid subscribers only of the things that are, well, superbon. The creme de la creme of the past month. Without further ado, my favorite flavors and finds.

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A tapioca and sheep’s milk cheese croquette with oyster mushrooms and straciatella which, in theory, represents the reasonably priced small plates that Le Grand Bain does best. This particular dish was excellent but I won’t be rushing back anytime soon. I used to love the creative, reasonably priced small plates at Grand Bain, but this meal mostly fell flat. They’ve removed the panisse from the regular menu, a longtime signature dish that, as far as I know, had never been taken off before. It’s now only available as part of the tasting menu. That’s disappointing, especially in a city already saturated with tasting menus. What made Grand Bain special was its focus on inventive, affordable small plates, and it feels like that strength is being lost. The current menu felt unbalanced: there were three trout dishes just in the seafood section, while all the meat options skewed toward the adventurous (not everyone wants duck hearts). Despite the menu being quite large, I would have appreciated a bit more balance.

I could write a love letter to Le Bougainville which is the perfect simple and humble neighborhood bistro, chipped formica and all. Located inside a lovely covered passageway in the second, it’s easy to get a booking, the servers are funny, and the food is reasonable, simple and seasonal. Nothing will blow your mind here gastronomically, but it’s rock solid. Their croque monsieur with salad and fries really hit the spot at the end of a long day.

The Chartreuse souffle from Le Repaire de Cartouche is the most ideal way to finish any hearty gallic feast. What better way to digest than a digestif in dessert form?

A return to Frenchie Wine Bar after a long absence and the bacon scones with maple syrup and raw cream still hit. The chicken liver parfait with rhubarb and brioche was also good. Basically all the savory baked goods?

Never not stuffing my face with the beef fat french fries at Le Cornichon. This time, with a cote de boeuf for two.

And now for all the best eats in London…