Without any doubt, it is the most awaited opening of the year. Freshly renovated, all clean, Le Grand Palais now offers itself one of the most beautiful terraces of Paris, whose splendid restaurant is piloted by Loulou Groupe, already at the head of the eponymous table of the MAD. With its columns, its magical view of the Petit Palais, its impeccable service and its gleaming terracotta walls, Le Grand Café becomes the new attraction delighting Parisians and tourists in search of beauty.
Majestic decor
To an extraordinary address, extraordinary decor. It took at least the vision of the architect Joseph Dirand, favorite genius of the Aveyronnais group and darling of the great fashion houses, to materialize a project of such scale. A bet more than successful. If the terrace is in itself a beautification with its original mosaic and its majestic columns, the interior with XXL volumes is also worth its weight in gold.
Just look: mirrors reflecting the exterior, marbles, symmetries, tablecloth-covered tables and velvet plays in warm tones give the whole a cushioned and wildly elegant look. The large rounded banquettes invite meals that last among friends – we already imagine the birthday dinners – when, soon, the bar will welcome romantic rendezvous with its own finger food menu. Case to follow, then…
Feasts of style
For Le Grand Café, the executive chef of the group, Benoît Dargère, borrows from the codes of the modern brasserie by offering traditional dishes in a grandiose staging. On the menu we find classics of the genre: mimosa eggs anchovies and bottarga (€21), exquisite thin tomato tart (€25), seafood platters, potato salad (€29)… and some very fresh creations such as the carpaccio of gambero rosso, stracciatella and pistachios (€45), lobster salad, green beans and raspberries (€49) or cod back with morels and green asparagus (€39). We end with a plate of strawberries, raspberries and whipped cream (€22) or a signature Affogato (€16).
At nightfall…
Of course, sitting down for lunch on the terrace is an absolute must. But Le Grand Café is also lived (especially?) in the evening, when the jazz orchestra starts to liven up the guests on the bar side. There, the shaker star Colin Field, true figure of the Hemingway of the Ritz for 30 years, prepares his mind-blowing cocktails that need no introduction: Bellini, Serendipity, French 76 (€30) or creations like the Absinthe Café with cocoa cream and chocolate bitter (€26). Nota bene for theater and opera buffs in search of a late-night table: last orders go until midnight.
Open every day. Lunch from 12pm to 4:30pm, dinner from 7pm to 2am, bar open from 6:30pm.
© Matthieu Salvaing - Oddur Thorisson
