Just returned from a week in the Paris burbs, Hauts-de-Seine, La Defense, Puteaux, and Suresnes. I have family there. Pretty much zero tourists and not much reason for Berserkers touring Paris to head out that way. English is spoken, often reluctantly, as it is in most of Paris. Restaurants and shops really do appreciate it when you make the extra effort to try to speak some French (even when you butcher it).
La Defense has the Grand Arch that you can see just fine from the Arc de Triomphe. The area is a mega-mall and concrete jungle of slightly interesting high-rise architecture with some scattered sculptures. No food scene beyond fast food. I wouldn’t go near it except it’s a transportation hub to center city and my brother-in-law works there.
Puteaux and Suresnes have a decent number of food options, if not the cutting edge or higher level cuisine of the Arrondisements. These towns were filled with riverside factories in the 1920s - 1940s that were all demolished and converted to residential communities. North African, Middle Eastern and Indian laborers put down roots so there’re a healthy number of ethic restaurants.
Resunga is an Indian Restaurant in Puteaux near La Defense. Good quality and leaning more authentic. My experience is that Parisian ethnic food can be “french-ified” (cheese naan, no/low spice, lots of butter, etc.).
I sampled some Lebanese, Algerian and Moroccan take out. Nothing to write home about (especially to a New Yorker or Berserker foodie) but plenty of solid value.
I can’t resist local French markets and Puteaux’s Chantecoq is worthwhile if you happen to be nearby on Thurs or Sunday. Partially open this past Thurs. due the extended holiday but Sunday was bustling.
Locals argue about which of the 10 or so local boulangeries are best. The one with the fresh hot bread seems to attract an immediate line…worth queuing up. I really like the local cheesemonger. My sister calls him the grumpy guy. There’s a real art to Cheesemongering and the “elevation” of cheeses. The proper storage, aging and handling makes a huge difference in quality. A young boring Cantal can be full of flavor and depth a week later. I’ve never had a sub-par cheese from the grumpy guy (Fromagerie Ravecchio, Puteaux) since my first visit several years ago. My wife loves the place.
Most of the finer dining restaurants are resting on their laurels from former Michelin stars (never more than 1) or a previous Bib Gourmand ranking. There are a few that I need to try and didn’t get to, i.e: Bistro La Haut - Suresenes, Les Petits Princes - Suresnes, L’Escargot 1903 - Puteaux, Le Saint Joseph - La Garenne-Colombes. Lots of options for a nowhere suburb.
A non-rated restaurant that I can never resist is Le Sain Sert in Puteaux. It’s a family run operation celebrating it’s 20th birthday. It’s bright, clean, comfortable and they get all the details right. They genuinely care about excellent service and quality…catering to a faithful local clientele and local business types (La Defense). The cuisine is mostly solid creative bistro fare with weekly and seasonal specials. They tailor their by-the-glass list of about 20 wines. You won’t find any Berserker-level wines. These are all carefully picked affordable small family wineries (mostly not exported) from the major regions, thoughtfully curated to pair with their courses. Some dishes are a “wow” and some aren’t. I’ve never left spending more than 65e per person or less than stuffed and completely satisfied.
The relatively affordable location allows young restauranteurs to try their luck. “L’Andouille” is a new Breton restaurant in Puteaux. It’s traditional fare with creative touches. Another very affordable meal with a sold wine list and the best oysters (Breton #2) that I’ve had in a long time…even better than the super fresh offerings at the Breton Huiterie in the Puteaux Sunday marche. It took an amusing 20 minutes to translate the full menu with several eclectic specialty dishes…(i.e.: coco de Paimpol is not a coconut). We dined with a local foodie (Jewish, Uruguayan, Univ Arkansas grad, living in Puteaux for 30 years). She was full of good tips and this place was one.
Sunday dinner is a challenge everywhere in and around Paris. No different in Puteaux. We should’ve gone ethnic but went with Top Chef, Suresnes. A friend said we should at least try it. The food was fine but tried to be much more artistic and creative than it was. Complicated doesn’t mean good. The TV show connection is annoying. It struck me as a very fancy “Denny’s”. The waitstaff wouldn’t make the B-team at the Sain Sert. The wines were even slightly lower quality. It was open on Sunday. Not going back.
We had lunch at an attractive spacious restaurant: L’ile on the Ile St. Germain. Kind of a touristy feel while being off the normal tourist track. The food and service exceeded my low expectations. It’s a good place to take a stroll, see the gardens and art and escape the crush of downtown. Not sure it’s worth the special trip.
I suspect this review will be useless to most everyone visiting Paris. But just in case you get lost near Puteaux. Salut.
RT
You should see how I plan for a trip to a new culinary destination.
