Erso: Where the locals eat in the 11th arrondissement

My American friend, who now lives in Paris, first told me about Erso. She lives in the 11th arrondissement and heard about the restaurant which is not far from her apartment. I looked it up online and saw what a high rating they had, five stars on google and 285 reviews. Wow! That’s impressive. You definitely don’t see that high of a rating very often, and when you do see it, it’s usually in the outer arrondissements, where there are less tourists. We knew we wanted to go, and so we decided to go for lunch.

The restaurant is tucked away on a cute little neighborhood street not far from the gorgeous Saint-Ambroise church. It’s pretty small inside, and some of the tables are very close together. I know some people don’t like that, but I love it! We sat at a little two-top right by the door. There was a very chic French couple in their sixties sitting at the table next to us. They smiled and said “Bonjour” when we sat down, then continued chatting in French while they enjoyed their lunch, and each other’s company.

The interior is very classy, made up of clean lines, fresh flowers and little rustic touches. A large window at the back of the restaurant brings in a lot of light and gives the view of a little garden with a beautiful flowering tree. There is a sitting bar with gorgeous wooden chairs that faces into the kitchen, although when we were there for lunch, there weren’t people sitting there. I imagine these would all be occupied during the dinner service. I always love sitting in these spots, where you can see all the magic happening.

For lunch, the restaurant had the option for two or three courses. For the two courses you could have a starter and a main dish, or a main dish and a dessert for 23€. For the three courses, a starter, a main dish, and dessert for 29€. We both chose the two courses, and we each started with the Tarama, which was served with green beans. The plating of this dish was so creative and elegant.

My friend’s fish was fresh and cooked perfectly and she said it was delicious. I don’t eat pork often but the menu description made me want to try it, and I’m so glad that I did. Two tender and juicy pork medallions were served with roasted red onions, a beetroot mousse and an apricot purée that paired perfectly with the meat. Their wine by the glass selection was small, but what they had was delicious. The wines were mainly from lesser known appellations, like Touraine and Saumur-Champigny.

Everyone that worked at the restaurant radiated kindness and a deep sense of pride in the products that they were serving. Whenever you get that in a restaurant it makes the experience that much more sublime.

The lovely French couple, sitting next to us, smiled and told us to “enjoy our lunch” as they left. They totally added to the ambiance. It was mesmerizing to be sitting next to them, absorbing their energy and picking up on some of the things they were saying in French.

If you’re looking for an authentic French dining experience, away from the tourist areas in Paris, I highly recommend Erso.

Hours:
Closed Sunday & Monday
Tues – Sat 12:30-2:00 & 7:30-10:00

If you’re staying in the core area of Paris, you can easily take the metro to the restaurant. From the 6th arrondissement you can get on the line 4 toward Porte de Clignancourt, get off at Strasbourg-St- Denis and transfer to line 9 towards Montreuil, exit at Saint-Ambroise, it’s a four minute walk from there. From anywhere in the Marais it’s two miles or less walking.

📍18 Rue Ambroise
Paris, France, 75011

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