LA DALLE EN PENTE

Bon chef bon patron bon... Tout est bon????allez y les yeux fermé ????

I live in the neighborhood and had the pleasure to get a taste of the atmosphere and menu of this subtle unassuming red front restaurant a while back.
International friends were visiting and i recommended this place for a more intimate evening, from the bustling Paris Latin quarters. And i am so glad i did!
My friend Gabriel whom's more comprehensive appreciation and review you can find below, loved the place so much he made it a point to go back on his last evening before going back to North America.
I then had the enhanced pleasure to properly experience La Dalle en Pente and most importantly its excellent owners Théo & Goran.
Could not resist a few cheese plates paired with a personalised wine tasting. As we were lucky enough to go to a wine passionate's run restaurant the night of the Beaujolais Nouveau -the first wine of the year to be tasted, a centuries-old french tradition. Théo guided us through the tasting, allowing us to enrich our vocabulary in our attempts to describe the sensations.
While we might have been shy at first and sat on one of the tables, taking in the feel of the place from a distance. The enchanting vibe soon enough invites you to dive in and participate further; Quickly we joined the rest of the french and european guests at the bar with the owner Théo. And indulged further into regional french specialty: don't miss out on their high end and rare Calvados selection -only 82 bottles distributed of this Normand brand La Larme du Pelerin.
If you are lucky enough, you may get a chance to taste Théo's homemade Rhum arrangé: the one we got that night was a glorious mix of coffee, cinamon and some other mysteries.
Overall, you guessed it: I highly recommend this place. Whether you're a local or in town for a few, check it out yourself and get your own taste of franco-serbian hospitality.
I will be back ????
Théo, Goran, merci pour votre accueil, votre partage et votre passion. A tres vite!
la voisine d'en haut, Annabelle

TLDR; a hidden gem - excellent food; serves multiple French delicacies ranging from oysters to octopus tentacles to calf brain and tongue; killer wine selection and pairings (the owner is an expert!) as well a great cheese selection. The atmosphere is unassuming and inviting, friendly and intimate- 10/10 MUST visit.

The long version;
I am a vulgar American visiting from NYC, my buddy and I stopped by on the recommendation of a friend, neither of us quite expected this spot to surpass our expectations the way it did. I have lived all over the world, and eaten at more Michelin star spots than I can count or recall; this place EASILY gives them a run for their money. We sat at the bar and started with a glass of wonderfully crisp white wine while perusing the chalkboard menu- below is what we ordered:

The atmosphere;
Intimate, cozy, unassuming, and friendly. The owner is friendly, easygoing and knowledgeable. The chef and waitstaff are equally so!

The food;
To start; a plate of delicious, buttery oysters served with nothing but a side of butter and the sharp, salty brine in which the oysters were picked - a delicious amuse-bouche. We also enjoyed a rich yet light veloutée and a loaf of sourdough.

We then followed up with Veals head- the brain was fried arrancini style, (accompanied by the tongue and cheeks served with a wine-based reduction)- somehow striking a balance between rich and light, I highly recommend this dish. We also ordered a plate of octopus tentacles prepared “a la portugaise” (served with a side of celery root fries) neither were overly embellished, served with a simple butter and herb sauce. The tentacles were divine; soft and perfectly cooked, neither too chewy nor too crispy- they quite literally melted in your mouth.

Finally, to finish, we enjoyed a formidable cheese plate; I couldn’t tell you what they were called, but it was a pleasing combination of semi-soft and soft sheeps milk cheeses which we consumed with a loaf of rich, dark sourdough, and yet another glass of wine.

All the while our wine pairings were expertly guided by the owner- Theo, whom has worked with some of France’s leading purveyors of organic and traditionally produced wines, and who himself has produced his own vintages. Theo is a charming, gentle and warm guy- unassuming and refreshingly open- his restaurant is an excellent reflection of his personality.

I must also shout out the chef- whom I had the pleasure of conversing with at length, and whom allowed me to taste his personal blend of Zaatar (which, while not Lebanese, was nonetheless delectable and well balanced).

If I had to choose words to describe our meal…. (1) balanced (2) rich (3) simple/unassuming (4) well executed - truly the meal was well balanced- in flavour and in tempo.

This is the type of dining experience that you might be lucky to find in NYC for $300-$400, yet all told, our bill came out to €140 (exclusive of tip). If I could rate this place 6 stars, I would. I keenly look forward to coming back!

-Gabriel

Déçue par ce restaurant dont la devanture, la carte et les très bons avis Google donnaient très envie. La carte est en effet alléchante mais les plats et les produits ne sont certainement pas à la hauteur des tarifs pratiqués. Pour exemple nous avions commandé un "carpaccio de fraise guariguette" en entrée et, puisque nous étions en terrasse, nous avons littéralement pu suivre des yeux le cuisinier pour le voir aller au Franprix du bout de la rue et revenir avec une barquette de fraises (qui n'étaient d'ailleurs pas des guariguette)... Et nous avons retrouvé dans le plat un morceau de fil électrique dénudé. Le serveur, qui était très sympathique, a cependant été commerçant et a retiré l'entrée de l'addition.

Cadre intimiste, équipes chaleureuses, plats savoureux ✨