Le Violon d'Ingres: A Visit to Christian Constant's Culinary Masterpiece
Hi Everyone! Welcome back! I hope you're mentally prepared for more mouthwatering food pictures. Today, we're going to talk about Le Violon d'Ingres. To reiterate what I said in my last review, this post is part of a series of restaurant reviews during our visit here in Paris, France.
Overall, this was likely my favorite restaurant from the entire trip. But, before I start talking about the food, let's cover the basics. The restaurant is owned by Christian Constant, who, to me, is a legend of a restauranteur/chef. I was impressed from start to finish. From the premium quality of the food (in both presentation and taste) to the well-chosen staff in terms of talent and personality, I was kept alert and curious about what I would be served next.
For my starter, I got one of Le Violon d'Ingres' specialties: oeufs mollets. This dish is basically... soft boiled eggs. Yeah, it sounds kind of silly that one would order soft boiled eggs at a white table cloth spot like this but I had to try it to understand why it was considered to be one of their "signature" dishes. I was not disappointed. Upon its arrival, the smell of truffle and eggs immediately lured me into a daze of ecstasy, shifting me in and out of reality. Fortunately, my intense need for sustenance kicked in and I began to feast on this culinary masterpiece. It was beyond me how something so simple can make me feel so emotional.
These organic eggs were rolled in buttered breadcrumbs. To step up your egg game, you just need to shower it with truffles. When I eat hard boiled eggs at home, I like to accompany it with a touch of truffle salt or paste. In this case, Le Violon d'Ingres served the eggs with perfectly toasted, truffle-buttered bread and tiny truffle shavings. At some restaurants, cheap truffle is shaved atop anything "fancy" like uni or risotto to imitate a certain level of luxury but it often falls through and comes across as unnecessarily pretentious. As a result, this tactic can come across as overused and uninspired. Le Violon d'Ingres treats truffle with respect by pairing it with a formidable companion, focusing on simplicity and quality.
For my main course, I ordered the rib of beef. It came as an order of two to share, which I split with my mom. The meat came perfectly medium, as requested, atop a bath of savory juices in all its meaty and fatty glory (as shown in the above picture). There's nothing better than a great quality steak with an optimal balance of char, fat, and meat in every bite. Overall, Le Violon d'Ingres is a MUST when visiting Paris. And, it is, in my opinion, one of the best 1 star Michelin restaurants I've ever been to.