Cartet - Paris 11e Arrondissement

Service was very good but the food was very cold , the hostess was very accommodating when we arrive

Cartet is a very small, wonderful restaurant. We had dinner with friends for a total of 5. The chef is amazing. Friendly, explains the dishes, and is very helpful. Traditional French dishes starting with smoked salmon, pork pate, chicken liver pate, and endive salad. And the wonders kept coming: duck, turnips with onions, potatoes au gratin, creme caramel, rice pudding, and pastries. Lovely wines accompanied. We were the only party in the room and it was like a private tasting of exceptional French traditional dishes. A very memorable experience!! Cannot recommend this amazing restaurant enough!!

Cartet is an unknown venue. Hidden behind Place de la Republique. No sign, narrow frontage, locked door, heavy curtains, no web site. Invisible. Out of reach. Out of time. And that's fine. Because Cartet is a secret society, a mystery restricted to insiders. I used to live next door and Cartet was my reward. 25 years ago. For my last visit I found the same panelling, the same sofa, the same empty tables. The same silence. Over the years the tiny restaurant had kept old-world charm of the past, golden years memorabilia. Like my granny music box. The chef-owner had prepared terrines platter, cod brandade, stiffly beaten egg whites. He proposed a Chateauneuf du Pape. Like it was before. Simply perfect.

Where to begin? This was a memorable meal; good, enjoyable, wildly overpriced and completely unforgettable in its eccentricity. Cartet carries a legendary name, a once celebrated female-run bistrot which changed hands 12 years ago. The current owner/chef/waiter/reservationist/doorman/ sommelier/dishwasher took it over then, maintaining many of the classic dishes. But the similarities stop there. There is a name on the awning, but in the windows flanking the door meant to hold menus, or anywhere else is there any evidence it is a restaurant. Including the locked door. As we began to turn away despite a reserved table, it was unlocked for us, then relocked, lest some unreserved guest have the temerity to try for a table. One older couple and a table set for two reserved for us. The other 18 places empty. When asked, the chef replied that he serves “as few as he can”. He was charming, friendly and everywhere at once, doing everything. The menu is broader than one would expect for four covers, and not everything was available. This isn’t exactly a private chef, but neither did it evoke the awkwardness of an empty restaurant waiting for guests. It was unusual, as in never before, but fun. Again? Probably to show off, but we’ve seen the film. Food Terrine for every table. Fresh and good. Magret, thinly sliced with orange sauce, veal chop with morels in cream sauce. Both served with a double portion of irresistible potato cake. Entrees, salade with lardons, morels (again on toasted brioche with a different cream sauce. Desserts: All of them put on the table: chocolate mousse, lemon tart, rice pudding, floating island, flan… Service Gracious and personal Price Very high. With two glasses of wine, one water (10€! and two coffees, 232€.

This tiny restaurant near Place du Republique may be one of the best finds in Paris. On our second visit today, we had the restaurant to ourselves. We were served by the chef/owner who was also tending the kitchen. Had I not called last week and requested a reservation he would not have been there. He opened just for us. We had a superb salade avec noix, my wife had magret du canard orange, and I had leg of lamb. All the dishes were outstanding and accompanied by a couple of nice glasses of pinot noir. The chef mentioned to us that Hollande, the just elected President of France ate at the same table where we were seated a short while back. This place is a real find and I suspect very few tourists ever find it, or if they do they don't get in. Not at the low end of the price range but you get what you pay for. Best food we have had in Paris and we have had a lot of good food. And the chef is a very interesting fellow.