Le Volant Basque — Restaurant in Paris

If you eat anywhere in Paris, make it this place!

My husband and I spent a few days in Paris before finding this gem on yelp. We were looking for a dinner spot that serves creme brulee, because quite opposite to what we expected, very few restaurants in Paris seem to carry it (there's a lot of creme caramel, but creme brulee is our favourite).

What we had: 32e - Formule for Entree-Plats-Dessert 24e - Formule for Plats-Dessert 34e - A mid-priced bottle of red wine

We played it pretty safe with our choices, choosing a creme of asparagus soup for the Entree, salmon for my Plats and a steak with mushroom and shallots for my husband's. Then we definitely had creme brulee - despite very full stomachs! Dinner was served with a basket of bread (no butter, as is common) and a bowl each of mashed potatoes, polenta, and rice. After dinner we were offered a sweet alcoholic drink on the house to cleanse our palates, plus hard merengue treats with the bill instead of mints. Let me just say, the salmon and steak were incredible, and the trio of sides made for a very filling meal! My husband said the mashed potatoes were some of the best he's ever had. The same goes for the wine and creme brulee!

Pros: Very well priced for the area - 32e for a 3 course meal is nothing. Service was much friendlier than a lot of French places. We were so impressed that we gave our server a large tip even though tipping is not expected. She spoke French and English fluently and we were able to switch back and forth comfortably throughout the meal (I know conversational French, but some servers in Paris hear the English accent and immediately refuse to speak to you in French, even if you want to practice). Great flavours and a very diverse selection of traditional foods - and isn't that what you want when you go to Paris?

Cons: If I had to say anything, it's that the "English translations" on the menu were totally nonsensical. I think they probably just ran them through Google Translate. But really, it didn't bother us because it added to the restaurant's charm and the server was very willing to answer any questions we had.

TIPS: "Formule" means you're buying several courses, perhaps pre-selected for you. "A la carte" means you're buying each course separately. This restaurant had both, and you had a selection of each course to choose from for the formules. "Entree" means appetizer or starter, and "plats" means main course or what we call an entree back home in Canada. Taxes are included in the list price, anywhere in Paris (whether selling food or clothes or otherwise) Tip only for...

I found this restaurant on trip advisor and went on a Wednesday night. Loved it! We we're greeted like regulars by the staff when we walked in around 7pm and were seated immediately even though we didn't have a reservation. Titou, part-owner and maitre-d, was a hoot and had us laughing in short order. He looked at my list of potential restaurants and gave me recommendations. Server Camila was efficient and also delightful. My friend and I were in the mood for hearty fare so we ordered the Beef Bourginon for 2. I think it would have fed 3 easily. It came out in a large wrought iron skillet, brimming with a hearty sauce and accompanied by 3 sides: mashed potatoes, rice and a third which seemed like a cream of wheat (which was delicious). We didn't order any starters as we knew we wouldn't be able to eat that much. The option we chose came with dessert so I ordered the chocolate mousse and my friend the creme brulée. The latter was awesome, the mousse was good but not as stellar. You should know this is not a fancy or romantic spot but the food is spot on and the house burgundy was very good. There are options for more expensive bottles but we were quite happy with what we chose. I'll be going again and suggest it for anyone who wants good solid fare while in this...

I was told this restaurant had authentic French cuisine and it lived up to the challenge. We did make reservations for 2, but arrived early and they sat us outside for a table for two. The weather was perfect for July and we were in the shade. We ordered 2 Jack Daniels and water and for an appetizer the waitress suggested the escargot with mushrooms. The food came in a dish that was shared with a french baguette. The dish was flavorful and rich with sauce that was savory. We ordered the beef bourguignon and the duck confit to try traditional french dishes. The food was AMAZING!! the duck was crispy with tender dark meat and the beef was so tender in the wine sauce with mushrooms... absolutely delicious. They serve three sides, polenta, mashed potatoes and long grain rice. There was nothing left. We shared a chocolate mousse that was the perfect ending and not too much to share. The owner brought us a complementary glass of after dinner liquor. This was our first day in Paris and we will visit again. ...