Jessie Oleson, aka Cakespy, contributes a regular dessert column to Serious Eats, but aside from sweets, she also loves burgers. Today she's stepping into the AHT world with a review of a restaurant she ate at during her recent trip to Paris. Thanks, Jessie! —The Mgmt.
7, Rue Ste Croix la Bretonnerie, 4th Arrondissement, Paris 75004 (map); 01 42 74 61 68; la-panfoulia.abcsalles.com Short Order: These burgers are a one-way ticket to Pleasuretown. Prices: €14 to €16 ($19 to $21.75), w/fries and a salad.
It's true: everything tastes better in Paris. Even burgers.
I know, I know: the burger really ought to be America's territory, right? After all, even if it wasn't technically invented here, it is where it came into its own. But you know what? It's hard to hold a grudge when faced with the savory stacks of nirvana being served up at La Panfoulia, a bar and casual restaurant in the Marais.
Let's start with the mushroom burger. Upon the waiter's suggestion it was ordered saignant, a rare-leaning medium, rather than bleu, which, as he advised, is really just "one step from having a beating heart." It came with a weighty stack of mushrooms that were ground into an almost pate-like texture, and were so perfectly spiced that they did not require any salt or pepper (and I tend to be liberal with both). The burger had a fully red, warm center, and every bite of the meaty mushrooms paired with the actual meat can only be described as tasting like a one-way ticket to Pleasuretown.
And we haven't even gotten to the bacon burger yet.
I would describe the bacon burger as being ethereal, but perhaps I should settle for a weightier description, like a pound of pure pleasure. The thick burger (this one ordered medium) was delivered with a touch of pink in the center and topped with a generous slathering of cheese and what almost resembled a bacon shell on top. It was lightly crunchy and assertively, but not excessively, fatty. The verdict? Pleasuretown all over again.
La Panfoulia gets extra points for paying attention to the details: the buns were toasted just enough so that they wouldn't get soggy under the weight of the burgers, but not so much that they flaked, and were a surprisingly flavorful, light, and yeasty bread; the fries come in cute porcelain cones (like paper cones! Only fancier!); and the side salad, so often an afterthought on the burger platter, is beautifully appointed, with a zesty vinaigrette and perfectly crisp lettuce and tomato slices.
Double and triple gold stars for the service, too: the waiter was not only kind enough to avoid wincing at the sound of my wobbly French, but was more than happy to chat about the food and advise us on other great eateries and bakeries in the area.
About the author:Jessie Oleson is a Seattle-based writer, illustrator, and cake anthropologist who runs Cakespy, an award-winning dessert website.
@jkdrummer, I was thinking the exact same thing. That pate like mushroom topping really isn't visually inviting. I'm glad that it, at least, tasted good.
One of the best burgers--maybe best meals--I've ever had was in Bordeaux. The patty was offcuts of beef from the butcher's, coarsely ground and tossed on a grill over a fire made from dried grape vines. A slightly crusty fresh roll, covered in salted local butter, and an odd but lovely cheese I was told was 'farm cheese'. Sort of like gouda or edam. And the bacon...it looked like it was ripped from the pig, a huge jagged slab. Not too thick, not too thin, not to crispy, not too soft, not too fatty, not too dry, not too salty, not too smokey. Just perfect. Give the French food, and they will create a masterpiece.
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6 Comments:
Good lord, that mushroom burger looked terrible!!!
jkdrummer at 10:21AM on 03/10/10
@jkdrummer, I was thinking the exact same thing. That pate like mushroom topping really isn't visually inviting. I'm glad that it, at least, tasted good.
yamatosoul at 11:28AM on 03/10/10
mushroom topping = duxelles
Burger365 at 12:39PM on 03/10/10
Looks turdy. Presentation fail.
cervantes008 at 2:23PM on 03/10/10
Check out Cafe lateral in Paris They have great burgers!!
http://www.cafelateral.com/
Did you know that most of the food in France is organic!!
Burger Boy at 2:47PM on 03/10/10
One of the best burgers--maybe best meals--I've ever had was in Bordeaux. The patty was offcuts of beef from the butcher's, coarsely ground and tossed on a grill over a fire made from dried grape vines. A slightly crusty fresh roll, covered in salted local butter, and an odd but lovely cheese I was told was 'farm cheese'. Sort of like gouda or edam. And the bacon...it looked like it was ripped from the pig, a huge jagged slab. Not too thick, not too thin, not to crispy, not too soft, not too fatty, not too dry, not too salty, not too smokey. Just perfect. Give the French food, and they will create a masterpiece.
NotAmerican at 7:35AM on 03/12/10