Pétrelle, a renewed bistro in Paris: contemporary cuisine and great wines

We're in the 9th arrondissement of Paris: Pétrelle is a restaurant that strikes thanks to its simple bric-a-brac décor.  After the renovations that took place during the lockdown the new Pétrelle reopened in the autumn. Exuberant French cuisine that has made this bistro a success in all of Paris.  

While in the past this restaurant, with chef Jean-Luc André at the helm, was famous because it was a catwalk for some of the greatest international artists, from Madonna to Mick Jagger, and Lady Gaga, not forgetting the great French presidents, today the waiting list to dine in rue Pétrelle is demanding.

Absolute romanticism where the great chandeliers, the old wood stove in the dining room and the dim lights complete the gourmet experience. In the kitchen, there's young Lucie Boursier-Mougenot, while the impeccable contemporary ceremony-master Luca Danti is in the dining room. There's s perfect harmony of taste, dish after dish, where Italy is the protagonist in terms of ingredients as well as wine list.

Attention though: they don't serve Italian cuisine. Lucie loves roots, legumes, vegetables, and meat or fish have equal importance. The dishes are seemingly simple, supported by a very refined French style and at the same time by strong flavours. The restaurant currently offers a set menu in the evening, at the weekend, seating little over 20 people in one service only.

It's open at lunchtime and in the evening, on Saturdays and Sundays with a menu of 3-4 courses. The offer changes often, depending on what Lucie finds at the market. Our evening tasting allowed us to taste a Ceviche with red carrot, beetroot, crab with leche de tigre and ginger. Perfect acidity and spiciness made milder with hints of ginger.

A series of flavours of sea and turf could be found in the Endive confit, sea urchins with orange juice and radicchio. Caramelised notes, crispy, that surf perfectly among the marine flavour of the sea urchins. The spiciness is a constant at Pétrelle's, very balanced. The take on Cabbage stuffed with Burgundy rabbit, n’duia, mint and chanterelle mushrooms was very interesting.

It's a seemingly baroque-looking dish, though the pairing of mushrooms and mint enhances the balsamic note which is a perfect match for the rabbit.

The dessert is an explosion of simplicity and intense flavour: Pear, Jerusalem artichoke gelato, chocolate sauce. The wine list shows an unconventional France, offering clients the wines of unusual vignerons who chose the natural philosophy, alternative bubbles like pet-nat, without going bankrupt because of the mark-ups.

The tasting of 4 glasses is 34 Euros, very honest. Luca loves Sicily and the Cornelissen selection shows. Young, talented, smiling and brave in the pursuit of authenticity through their values.
 

Restaurant Pétrelle
34, rue Pétrelle
75009 Paris
restaurant@petrelle.fr
+33.01.42821102