Paris Cafés: La Pascade

La Pascade
14 rue Danou
75002 Paris
01 42 60 11 00

Price M + D: 28€ – 34€ / Set S + M + D: 30€ 

I wouldn’t consider Paris to be a sunny city.  As a matter of fact, I’d say that it was damn grey! So where to go in times when there just ain’t no sun? La Pascade, one of many Paris cafés near the Garnier Opera house serves dishes that remind me of those luminous happy Impressionist paintings of Monet and Renoir. You know, the ones where we see happy French folk in the sunny countryside? Picture that in mouthfuls.
First impressions

It’s as if I just stepped into a chic country cabin.  The huge dining table in the middle of the room also evokes a certain sense of community and sharing, which is cool at a chic place.
I also love how they use every space in a non-wasteful and elegant way.  The wine glasses are lined up across the walls, the two holes at a 2-person table is used for 1) to hold the menus, and 2) to hold your flatware and napkin.

The Food

The specialty of the house is the “pascade”, a type of crêpe-pastry originally served in farms or small family joints in Aveyron in Southern France. I chose the 30€ lunch set menu. First to come was “Vichy carrots” with hot chili sauce, chorizo, and cockles.
It was like a fancy surf’n’turf, and at my very first bite I was magically whisked away to a beautiful garden by the sea.  The cockles were cooked to perfection so that each one brought a juicy and tasty mouthful of the sea.  The carrots were sweet and worked well with the heavier taste of the chorizo.

Next was my Codfish Pascade with spinach, chicken cream, and bulgur. Not only was the fish extremely fresh, but it was as though someone had given it a FULL BODY MASSAGE. It was unbelievably tender and moist. The pascade itself was deeeelish! It was slightly caramelized at the edges on top and ever so chewy on the bottom. It wasn’t soggy AT ALL from all the garnish the pascade was holding which totally surprised me!

Finally, and this was pure excellence, there was the dessert line of mini-pascades which included: Double Chocolate, Passion Fruit Marshmallow, Warm Chestnut, and Pineapple Basil. I absolutely LOVED this dessert.  Of course aesthetically speaking, but also you could really taste and feel all the different flavors and textures.  My taste buds were more than delighted! Each mini-pascade was so carefully fashioned together that it made them elegant and noble.  Country chic!

The Verdict  

I can’t wait to come back to try all the other pascades! I really liked the fact that you leave the restaurant feeling extremely satisfied but not weighed down (no risk of food coma afterwards).  It’s a rare talent to be able to master this, so no worries ladies you can definitely bring your men here! They won’t need a pizza afterwards!
About the Author: Fooled one too many times by tripist traps, Paris for Epicureans scours the city hunting out restaurants worth your time and money. Fabulous, so-so, flat out bad, she tells it like it is! Photos taken by Paris for Epicureans unless noted.