In her deliciously wonderful book "My Life in France", Julia Child reminisced about her first lunch at Le Grand Vefour. Julia and Paul, her husband, happened upon this grand restaurant after strolling through the stunning gardens of the Palais Royal. They were not dressed for the occasion but ventured in nonetheless at the urging of the maître d'. The lunch was spectacular and expensive but as Paul said "you are so hypnotized by everything there that you feel grateful as you pay the bill".
My husband and I have made lunch at Le Grand Vefour our more or less annual tradition. This place is so special that we change out of our "schlepping around" clothing and into something much more dignified, befitting the old world grandeur of the restaurant.
This beautiful seventeenth century building has witnessed great changes, much like so much of Paris. In 1815 the galleries surrounding the Palais Royal held fifteen restaurants, twenty cafes, eighteen gambling halls, eleven pawnshops and brothels. So, pretty much something for everyone!
In 1820 Jean Vefour purchased the building, which at the time housed Café de Chartres, an old pub opened in 1784, with the intension of transforming it into a fine restaurant.
Le Grand Vefour, along with a handful of other restaurants in Paris, became the favorite place of the political, literary, and artistic elite, Colette even had a special table reserved for her daily visits. Emile Zola, Victor Hugo, George Sand, Sartre, and Jean Cocteau were fixtures at LGV.
Guy Martin, a self-taught chef who received his first Michelin star at the young age of 26, joined Le Grand Vefour in 1991, and purchased it in 2011. Brilliant and modest.
I do take photos with rock star chefs:)
Visually, Le Grand Vefour is stunning; the painted gold leaf walls and ceilings, the carved panelling, the Louis the XVI style garlands, and paintings of women inspired by Pompeian frescoes.
Lunch at LGV is a feast that does not seem to stop.
We begin with an amuse bouche, and some delicious bread and butter
We proceed to the appetizer which for me is usually their foie gras. I like that each time the foie gras is presented in a different and creative way.
A sausage for my husband.
For the main entrée I order the fish while my husband gets the meat, that way we get to sample both.
The side of vegetables always comes beautifully arranged.
Following the main meal we are presented with one of the most impressive cheese trolleys. The waiter describes each cheese; its origin and taste, with great care. This is where I discovered the most delicious cheese I have ever eaten, Abbaye de Citeaux. It is a delicious cow's milk cheese from Burgundy with wonderful earthy, creamy and milky taste. Unfortunately the cheese is not so easy to find, even in Paris.
I saw practically everyone in the restaurant eye the magnificent cheese trolley with great excitement and anticipation.
A little palette cleanser along with some pates de fruits arrives following the cheese service.
A lovely long platter of petit-fours is placed on the table as a little gift.
The dessert at Le Grand Vefour is never disappointing. This frozen watermelon on top of chunks of the fruit, a thin cookie and a bit of fruit puree was stunning and tasty.
The chocolate mousse and ice cream was another memorable treat.
The chunks of nectarines and peaches along with dollops of cream were meticulously arranged into a beautiful little gem of a pastry.
I wonder what Balzac enjoyed the most at LGV?
Just when you think that the meal is over, a hearty slice of their signature pound cake/sponge cake is placed on the table.
The serving of the cake is followed by chocolates and caramels.
We always leave Le Grand Vefour blissfully satiated and ready for a slow stroll through the Palais-Royal gardens.
Le Grand Vefour
17 rue de Beaujolais
Joanna
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