Astier
This classic, checkered tablecloth bistro is famous for its cheese tray.
Practical information
Address: 44 rue Jean-Pierre Timbaud, 75011
Nearest transport: Parmentier (3)
Hours: Open every day for lunch & dinner
Reservations: Book a day or two in advance
Telephone: 01 43 57 16 35
Average price for lunch: 20-39€
Average price for dinner: 20-39€ or 40-59€, depending on the menu
Style of cuisine: Classic French
Website Facebook
Reviews of interest
Chocolate & Zucchini (2015) “Classic French restaurant Astier is a favorite of mine that was recently redone, and we recently went for Sunday lunch as a family. One of the most distinguishing features of the place is the gorgeous communal cheese platter that gets passed around from table to table — hard to resist!”
Condé Nast Traveler (2015) “An old favorite under new ownership, it has one of the best (and biggest) cheese boards in town.”
Time Out (2012) “… vintage revivals like smoked herrings with warm potato salad, grilled Charolais beef in anchovy butter, and scrumptious vanilla cream (think crème brûlée without the brûlée). The excellent value prix-fixe menu includes an all-you-can-eat cheese course – some morsels of which are so ripe they plop onto your plate in a dollop of ‘fromagian’ glory.”
David Lebovitz (2011) “… we were thoroughly pleased with chunky block of house-made foie gras sprinkled with fleur de sel, with toasted brioche and chutney alongside. Warm brandade (whipped salted fish and potatoes) was a good rendition of the classic…”
Patricia Wells (2010) “A lovely, old-time bistro dinner in Paris last night at Astier, a longtime favorite… I opted for a starter of rabbit rillettes, moist, flavorful…The roasted codfish wrapped in ham and bathed in fresh white shell beans and a touch of tomato offered a lovely, light touch, and the dessert of poached quince hit the spot.”
The New York Times (2009) “The cheeses are splendid, but equally important is supporting the old tradition (before worries about sanitation overtook the world) at your table, where you can pick it to death until someone else asks for it…”
Le Figaro (2008) “Bistrot de tradition bien repris en mains…”
Photo courtesy of Astier’s Facebook page
Astier has long been a favorite of mine (see my website).
This was on our list of places to visit, and indeed we walked by the joint a couple of times and peered in. Very nice, and a warm welcome, with — oops — American English chatter all around. There goes the neighborhood. We found the fare rather ordinary, including two of the signature items: the spicy prawns (3, small) with stuffed onion, tomato and zucchini, and the oeuf custard pot de creme dessert. The real deal was the “all-you-can-eat” cheese board, depleted by the time it got to our table. It had 10 or more selections, but the waiter could identify only two with any certainty. A very persistent mosca domestica was all over the Cantalet. Advice for a return visit: select a plat du jour, take the cheese course (12E), and order a nice wine.
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