Le Petit Marché Fermé temporairement — Restaurant in Paris

My recent experience at Le Petit Marché had its highs and lows, but overall, the charm of the place left a positive impression on me.

Starting with the positives, the food truly shines. The dishes at Le Petit Marché were nothing short of delightful, reflecting both skill and creativity in their execution. From the exquisite presentation to the wonderful balance of flavors, the food was a gastronomic delight, truly worth the price. The fair pricing for such high-quality fare was refreshing, especially considering the quality of ingredients used and the artistry displayed in their preparation.

The service was prompt, save for a notable exception which I'll delve into later. The staff was generally attentive and courteous, delivering dishes with commendable speed. For a foodie who loves to indulge in the experience without waiting too long, this was an aspect I truly appreciated.

However, the end of my visit was marked by a significant hiccup that somewhat tainted the overall experience. After finishing our meal, we were left waiting for an excessive 30 minutes for our bill to arrive. This might have been an oversight or a one-off occurrence, but it certainly detracted from what had otherwise been a thoroughly enjoyable visit.

While the food and prompt service during the meal will surely draw me back to Le Petit Marché, I do hope they iron out these final service wrinkles. If this particular aspect is taken care of, Le Petit Marché has all the potential to be a top-tier dining establishment. In its current state, I would give it a solid 4 out of 5 stars, with room to move up to a full 5-star rating with some improvements.

In closing, I look forward to my next visit, hoping the delay in bill processing was a one-time mishap and not a regular feature. I also recommend that other potential diners give this place a try – the food and fair prices are...

In a neighborhood with abundant food options, go elsewhere.

Three of us arrived at 8:30 pm on a Saturday night: it was busy. We were seated at 9 pm, which didn't seem too bad for a crowded restaurant on a Saturday night. So that was understandable.

There also was a miscommunication about where we wished to be seated, which we discovered when the al fresco table we had been waiting for was given to a party who arrived after us. We wouldn't have let that be a negative mark either, since we don't speak French and it may have been a simple misunderstanding.

What causes me to point visitors elsewhere is the service and food experience. We were seated by a host and given a specials menu, but our server didn't come to our table until 9:30. When I ordered the special, he said it was sold out, so I ordered the entrecôte. My first such steak in Paris. I asked for it medium-rare. It came rare. It was pan-cooked, grisly and not particularly flavorful. Not sure if the poor cut and pan-searing is a France thing or a restaurant thing. Either way, we tried 3 of entrees and they just weren't that good. Ok. Not gross. Average. The accompanying salad was too heavily dressed. The veal skewers were forgettable, as was the wine. After I tried my husband's veal, my remark was, if that was a recipe I tried and I'd made it, I wouldn't make it again.

The best part of the meal was the asparagus salad and the raw tuna starter. Both of those were tasty, but 3-star tasty.

There are just so many lovely places around the area. We're disappointed we picked La Petit Marché and hope to save others the same...

Making a pilgrimage to the food mecca that is Paris could be difficult, and too often, there are simply too many well-reviewed restaurants falling short of expectations. Le Petit Marche is not one of them. On the contrary, it is a nice, cosy bistro with Asian-inspired cuisine rooted in French methods. They don't have a long list of fixed entrees, but there are two things that you really have to try here: Magret de Canard caramalise aux bananes (duck breast with caramelized bananas) and filet d'agneau (lamb filet). The duck breast was one of the best that I've had: the skin side was crisp and perfectly scored with most of the fat melted away; the duck meat itself was moist and tender while the wonderfully caramelized sauce was de-glazed in the duck's own fat. If you only plan to try one dish, make it this one!

Aside from the food, we received an amazing service even though it was a busy night and frankly, this could have been a highlight of our evening just by itself. So, if you have only a couple of meals in Paris and don't want to fuss with a long list of recommended restaurants from various sources, do make a trip to Le Petit Marche, you...