Bistrot Paul Bert - Paris (France)

67. That’s the number of times I had to call this notoriously hard-to-book bistro before being answered. The staff is always busy during service hours, so you just have to try your luck and hope that someone is near the phone when you call. Or you can call so many times that laws of statistics find their way to make it work.

I am very serious about food and was not willing to miss out on @bistrotpaulbert after coming up short a few years ago, so giving up on the non-stop phone calls was not an option.

But upon arriving at the restaurant, I had serious questions on whether it would live up to the expectations that naturally built up from such a demanding booking process.

Such hyped up establishments are usually one of two things: either a massive letdown that is somehow catapulted by social media and the herd effect, or an institution that became rightfully recognized by doing something right for an extended period of time.

This bistro was the latter. The food was extremely satisfying and did not disappoint. The Oeufs mayonnaise was a great starter that came shortly after the complimentary gourgères. As a main dish, their famous steak frites were a no-brainer choice. Its creamy peppercorn and cognac sauce also served to hydrate the golden crispy frites that were impossible to stop munching on.

Given how hard reservations are here, I know that I won`t be coming back anytime soon. But I am very thankful I endured the process and got to try one of the city`s most renowned bistros.

(Versão em Português nos comentários) Less