Bouillon Chartier
If I am at Bouillon Chartier for lunch, it must be with Jean-Charles. He always takes me there. And with good reason!
Bouillon Chartier really is a French institution. In 19th-century Paris, new eateries were springing up to serve the city’s workers, offering hot meals at modest prices. At the great city market of Les Halles, one butcher concocted a beef stew, known in French as a “bouillon” (or broth), that proved so popular he named his restaurant after the dish.
In 1896 the concept was expanded by two brothers, Camille and Édouard Chartier. Their original vision of a restaurant that offered diners an exceptional setting, yet was affordable and open to all, was further developed over the years – and its charm remains intact to this day.
Chartier is defined by its Art Nouveau style, a living vestige of the Belle Époque. Head past the copper bar top into the vast dining room in the rear with its timeless, inimitable charm: towering mirrors, traditional furniture, close-knit tables, white tablecloths – a place where people from all walks of life rub shoulders amidst a jovial, bustling atmosphere.
Is Chartier Bouillon a brasserie, a bistro, a café or a restaurant? Well, it’s something else entirely! The Bouillon is more than just a name: it stands for traditional, simple and hearty cuisine, made possible by quality producers and artisans.
The meals are quite cheap. Dishes like – Œuf mayonnaise, celeriac remoulade, country pâté, vegetable soup, leeks in vinaigrette, beef Burgundy, veal blanquette, butcher’s sausage, quenelle dumplings, salt pork with lentils, free-range chicken, fresh frites, chocolate mousse, rice pudding, ice creams, fruit salads, and more…
Quite frankly, the quality of the food is rather forgettable. I ate a green salad, choucroute, and a floating island. Only the floating island was of OK quality. In sum, this is another restaurant that you must go to for the atmosphere rather than the food.
I only have one real criticism of Chartier Bouillon. Today, there was no bouillon on the menu, meaning that as with much France, there are just as many myths as realities!