Le Rigmarole — Restaurant in Paris

#105 in my challenge of trying every Michelin Star in Paris in 365 days. Follow me to see the all the reviews.

The find of the year! When I went there I was finishing the paris challenge, waiting for the new crop and rebooking some I did in 2020. The very few left were for practical reasons: never managed to set a date, change of plans etc… This one, it was simply because I never managed to find a date that suited me that was free. It should have warned me… but I did not pay that much attention. I genuinely thought that it was because it was in the 11th, and assumed it was a bit hipster (hence difficult to book). I managed to get a reservation for one a Sunday evening. Actually, I was wrong. It’s difficult to get a table because it’s crazy good. It’s as simple as that. And also because it’s super small. It’s a Yakitori / Robatayaki. Basically it means that it’s cooked to perfection. Especially the chicken is to die for. I’m not joking. We never joke about food! The chef is French/ American raised in the Us but professionally culinary trained in Japan. So basically It’s a long bar and the chef does an omakase (you leave it to him) on you. I could go on and on, on the quality of the meat cooking. I’d love to go back with a true “rôtisseur” (meat chef) to have his insight and discuss about it. I’d be curious to have his feedback. Because it’s not just the meat cooking. The culinary and cultural heritage between US, France and Japan makes this restaurant really fascinating. You have the pleasing, the inventiveness and the perfection wrapped up on a small plate in a tiny restaurant.

It’s a clear top tiers one star. I can not wait to go back. Ps: there’s some changes in formal due to a baby arrival so they...

Holy moly - I can't believe I've completely forgotten to review my lunch at Le Rigmarole which has left such a great impression on me. After years of visiting Paris I've gotten somehow bored or maybe a bit let down by some of the extremely hyped and famous restaurants in the city.

Le Rigmarole was on my radar for some time, but fot numerous reasons a table at the restaurant alluded me until the fall of 2024. Le Rigmarole broke the curse and showed me, that Paris still has room for surprises when it comes to extremely personal cooking, that still manages to be splendid and exiting all the way through.

For the first time in a long time I left a restaurant where everything clicked. Service was outstanding and not at all stuffy or pretentious. Same with the food and the whole vibe of the place. The prices are more than reasonable for the kind of experience. The wine list is exiting and not too extensive as well.

More important than all, I just felt welcomed as a person, and that here was real human beings wanting to show and express their souls and stories to their guests. And what a world class story it was.

It was beautiful and poetic in a down to earth, and not at all theatrical, way. This understated masterfullness is so terrifyingly difficult to achieve in my experience.

Can't stress enough how much of a gem this restaurant is. Banged it's way right in to my list of favourite restaurants in the city, and I won't go to Paris without visiting again.

I won't go into details about the food, because you can read about the concept elsewhere. I'm just here to say, that the technique is flawless and the owners are a complete pleasure.

Go...

The restaurant became a pizza place for several months so we immediately made several reservations to try many things from their menu that was being updated continuously over this time period. The food itself was a beautiful experience and I would like to elaborate more, but the experience with the staff just added some bitterness I would like to but can't get over.

One evening we were exhausted and hesitant whether to keep the reservation or not, but decided to go and keep it short and sweet. The person at the counter made a comment on the fact that we didn't get the dessert or wine and rolled his eyes. I find it rude and inappropriate. Do I have to justify coming to a pizza place and getting a pizza?

The other time I overheard the waiter/host asking for a tip from American visitors, like "how much do you want to tip me?". Me and my partner looked at each other, stunned, because you just don't do that in France, ever! Tips are completely optional and the table service is included in the price of your order. He didn't do the same to a group of French, wondering why.

This is probably not directly related to the place itself, but it was just very unsettling to witness. Right before one of our dinners we heard someone yelling on the phone right in front of Le Rigmarole. Really really horryfying things addressed to a woman, like threats and "i wish you won't ever be able to become a mother" kind of stuff. Turns out this beanie wearing guy ...