As the capital of cuisine and birthplace of the restaurant, Paris is a destination for “foodies” and cooks but it also represents a Paris state of mind where an elegant design, amiable service and an air of sophistication are as important as the food–Welcome to Le Boeuf sur Le Toit.
As the capital of cuisine and birthplace of the restaurant, Paris is a destination for “foodies” and cooks but it also represents a Paris state of mind where an elegant design, amiable service and an air of sophistication are as important as the food–Welcome to Le Boeuf sur Le Toit.
The history of Le Bœuf sur le Toit is closely tied to that of a joyful band of poets and musicians led by Cocteau and Milhaud who met on Saturday nights in the exuberant enthusiasm of jazz and triumphant Dadaism. When the young Louis Moysès enlisted Jean Wiener, a pianist friend of Milhaud, to play at the tiny bar he opened on Rue Duphot in 1921, these “Samedistes” made it their meeting place in spite of the cramped quarters. When it fell victim to its meteoric success, Le Gaya had to take its teeming, buoyant clientele elsewhere.
Reconvening at a new location, Moysès–awed by his good fortune–put his restaurant under the auspices of Cocteau and Milhaud. He named it Le Bœuf sur le Toit, after the Brazilian refrain that had recently inspired the two artists’ composition and ballet of the same name. For nearly 20 years, through the noise and laughter and dances and cocktail parties, the Bœuf would jump to five different roofs in the 8th arrondissement before settling on the Rue du Colisée in 1941, followed by its elegant, loyal and trendy retinue.
You have three seating choices: downstairs in the main dining room, upstairs or in the bar area near the piano and the jazz stylings of Sergio Scollo.
We chose the bar area with the music and constant activity. As we settled into our booth I felt like Walter Winchell out for a night on the town on the lookout for tidbits for his daily, syndicated column.
As expected at this time of year there is a generous selection of oysters and seafood as well as special menus from 30 euros that won’t bust your budget.
We selected the Menu Gourmet at 51 euros that began with a flute of Pommery.
M started with velouté de butternut, a creamy purée of butternut squash sprinkled with bits of bacon and chestnuts.
I chose oeuf mollet aux cepes confits, a soft-boiled egg resting upon a mound of creamy artichokes seasoned with olive oil and parmesan.
A bottle of Cotes du Rhone from Guigal was delivered to accompany our main courses:
Grilled salmon with potatoes Parmentier for M
and Volaille fermière des Landes aux cepes, organic chicken with cepes accompanied by risotto for me. Both selections were emblematic of the house style-straightforward, uncomplicated and satisfying.
The creme brulée was the usual bland preparation but the tarte au citron déstructurée was a delightful surprise-light lemon cream, Italian meringue and bits of shortcake.
This lovely evening was not quite over. Sergio spotted me and a few bars of Charlie Chaplin’s SMILE was my cue to get up and sing.
34 rue du Colisée • 75008 Paris
Tel: o1 53 93 65 55
Open daily from 12.00pm to 3.00pm and from 7pm to 11.00pm (until 12.00am on Friday and Saturday)
