Part des Anges
Wednesday, February 11, 2009
La Part des Anges
13 rue Chappe, 18th
M° Abbesses
Tel 01 46 06 69 80
Review by Katie Noyer
La Part des Anges is a culinary haven amidst the excess of tourist traps crowding the roads around the Sacré Coeur and the Butte Montmartre. With room for just twenty guests in approximately 18m2, plus an impossibly tiny kitchen, the experience is certainly cosy, but this merely adds to the charm - as long as you aren't planning on discussing nuclear secrets. We arrived for our reservation at 9:30pm to find our table wasn't available, but we were welcomingly seated with some olives while the table was prepared. Once we ordered, the service was smooth and friendly (if not fast). The menu is short and changes regularly according to seasonal produce – a word of warning to vegetarians though: when we went there were no non-meat/fish main courses.
To start, I chose the melted reblochon cheese salad with honey and cinnamon while Cyril went with the foie gras. Both were excellent. We were equally astounded by the main course - a tender and juicy piece of beef for Cyril and poulet au vinaigre for me, accompanied by a superb gratin Dauphinois. We even found space to share a completely unnecessary but wildly delicious fondant au chocolat with crème anglaise for dessert. The main courses are served in earthenware dishes, which add an authenticity to the presentation without being fussy - this restaurant is about no frills, wholesome French cooking, served in very generous portions. Some may find the menu a little restricted in the number of choices (6 starters, 6 mains, 6 desserts) but the freshness of the products used more than amply compensates. The wine list is also short, but each wine is judiciously chosen to complement the food so making a bad choice is difficult, especially with the advice of Patrick, the chef/waiter/owner/sommelier, who is always on hand to help.
Despite the fact that he is the sole member of staff during the week, Patrick (an English speaker) finds time to be a welcoming host and tells me he has built up a loyal customer base among the bobos of Montmartre since the restaurant opened in 2001. Our fellow diners were a mixture of couples and groups of friends, average age around 28 at a guess. While we were there, a steady stream of locals filed past for take-out.
With a total bill of €68 for 2 people including starter, main course, a shared dessert and a most respectable bottle of Côtes du Rhône, this restaurant is excellent value for money and a delightful experience. Reservation a few days in advance is necessary, especially for Friday/Saturday.
In short, La Part des Anges is ideal for: a romantic tête-à-tête, an intimate dinner with close friends, savouring the moment and lingering over a meal. It is perhaps to be avoided if: you are pressed for time, you are looking for modern cuisine, you are a rowdy crowd or you are vegetarian.
Katie fell in love with Paris during her year abroad from Oriel College, Oxford, and has been living here since she finished her studies. A happy perk of Katie’s job in advertising is wining and dining clients in some of the capital’s top restaurants. Her French husband Cyril shares her passions for travel and food, and is a willing partner in Katie’s quest to review Paris’ best eating, drinking and dancing spots.
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