Chez Clément, Place St André des Arts, Paris
Chez Clément has many branches in Paris and one in Nantes. Is this the French version of Chez Gerard? Je pense que oui!
Surly waiters, slow service, cool greeting but then again, I am English. The interior design is more welcoming fortunately, and pleasingly eclectic for a chain resto. There is a library, a games room, a drawing room, a study and a hallway. It is a bit like taking part in a living version of Cluedo and I suspected it was Reverend Green wot did it in the kitchen with the lead pipe. Poor Mrs White….
Paris in the Spring eh? Seemed to rain a lot, except the day I visited the Champs Elysées.
Back at Clément, Saumur Champigny 2007 La Paulate at EUR 18.50 was the 2nd time I had tried Saumur in Paris. Raspberries and barbecued banana with Maltesers. A lovely light red for summer meals and served chilled as should be. Good price too being only £237.60 at today’s exchange rate.
My starter was snails served in their shells on a baked potato with six carefully carved mini bowls looking like craters on Clanger Moon that I am sure the Soup Dragon would have been only too willing to fill. Not sure if I was supposed to eat the tatty, I decided to pretend I was on the Atkins to avoid looking ignorant.
Magret de canard was excellent. Perfectly pink “Ã point” juicy and with a mustard sauce that saved the ropey salad dressing.
Sabayon de fruits de saison was a soft warm custard with cold fruits and apart from the lack of dessert wines on the menu could probably not have been improved upon.
I was going to try my contradictory pick me up ‘n’ put me down of coffee and Armagnac but was too tired on this occasion. The bill was presented at a pretty reasonable EUR 75 and this included a 15% service charge. Being wary of the double tipping practices of Chez Gérard I didn’t leave anything further. My French did not stretch to asking how the 15% was divided (if at all). Hopefully the French are more reasonable with their staff than certain British chains? Let’s hope so.
After the initial welcome and the strange tipping practices, I really wanted to slag the place off but truthfully the food was excellent, the wine was pretty good and the ambience was several times superior to Chez Gérard. With several restaurants in Paris I would give one a try next time you are here.
Chez Clément, 9 Place St André des arts. 75006 PARIS.
Tel: 01 56 81 32 00
W:Â www.chezclement. com