If you’re in search of the iconic French dish that is the definition of comfort food, you’ll find it at a restaurant (that most tourists don’t know about) in the 14th arrondissement.
Cassoulet, pronounced cah-sul-ay, is a traditional slow cooked dish originating in the south of France. If you’re not familiar with it and you like duck confit, pork sausage and white beans, then you should be. Everything is simmered together for several hours with garlic, thyme and other herbs.
This is one of my favorite French dishes, I love how rich and hearty it is. It truly is the quintessential French comfort food. I think the best cassoulet in Paris is at L’assiette in the 14th arrondissement where David Rathgeber is the chef and owner. This is a real “off the beaten path” restaurant that tourists rarely find. The restaurant is beautiful, not in an extravagant way, but in an enchanting, cozy kind of way. Local Parisians and French celebrities know and love this restaurant, and it was a favorite of the former President François Mitterrand. Last time I was here, we were the last to leave and our waitress let us know that, unbeknownst to us, we were sitting next to a famous French actress.
The chef, and owner, David Rathgeber knows how to melt flavors together through slow cooking and the result is one of the best things you’ll eat in Paris. David has quite a pedigree, he worked for Alain Ducasse for many years and was the chef at Plaza Athénée for 14 years. He also earned a Michelin star at Ducasse’s restaurant Benoit.
When you first walk in, you will see the little cheese table and the industrial meat slicer used to create authentically French cheese and charcuterie boards.
Weathered bistro tables make you feel like you’ve stepped back into another era. Be sure to look up because the ceiling is absolutely gorgeous.
Start with the escargot- they were some of the best I’ve ever had. Everything on the menu is made with only the freshest, locally sourced ingredients, but the Cassoulet is the star here.
The wine selection is small but mighty. You will definitely want to select a red if you’re having the cassoulet. We had the Lauzières Solstice, a rich and intense red blend of mainly Grenache Noir. The wine comes from a little known appellation that is known for its organic and biodynamic wines in southern France called Les Baux-de-Provence. It was a perfect pairing, and we all liked it so much we took an additional bottle to go. For this quality of wine it was quite reasonably priced at €48 for the bottle and €15 by the glass.
They often have a three course lunch special that is around €26. This is an incredible deal for a restaurant of this quality. I’ve had many three course lunches in other parts of Paris for €29 and €35 that were nowhere near the caliber of food that is served at L’Assiette. This menu typically has a soup or paté to start and a choice of a meat or fish dish as the main course plus a dessert.
We were the last to leave and as we were walking out, our server told us that, unbeknownst to us, sitting at the table next to us was the famous French actress Léa Seydoux.
📍L’assiette
181 Ru du Château
Paris, 75014
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