Le Potager du Marais

Ted — Tue, 01 Apr 2008 09:10:37 +0000

There’s something deeply satisfying about a bowl of vegetarian French Onion Soup. Traditionally, this dish features a rich broth of beef consume with onions sauteed to a dark color and a large crouton floating on top. All of this is smothered with melted cheese. The soup makes you feel like a warm embrace by your favorite grandmother; if it’s possible to have a favorite.

But alas, beef doesn’t sit well with the vegetarian in us. My favorite chef, Jacques Brosse, once created a heavenly French Onion Soup with a rich wine base for me. It was one of the best dishes I’ve ever tasted. Jacques is about to open a new restaurant in Paris, so watch for the news.

It was with these high expectations that I ordered a bowl of Onion Soup from Le Potager du Marais. First off, the soup was good. It wasn’t great. It didn’t make me jump up and scream “Mother Trudy, come here and give me a big fat hug!”

Frankly, I don’t think jumping up would even be possible in this tiny table with a long community table. It would have been more like asking the person next to you to stand up, pull the table out, extricate yourself between two other diners, stand up and then yell “Mother Trudy, come here and give me a bit fat hug!”
The Onion soup had a rich broth but could’ve used more onions. Instead of a big hunk of crouton, the soup was dotted with smaller chunks. Frankly, the smaller chunks are much easier to manage. It was then covered with a thin layer of cheese. It was also a tad bit salty for my taste. The bread they served on the side was also a bit bland.

Don’t get me wrong, Le Potager is a popular, friendly restaurant that features a great menu of vegetarian and vegan food. There were several daily specials, including vegetable curry, broccoli soup, and pasta primavera. The other diners licked their plates clean. The lady next to me just about died when her nattily atired boyfriend held his curry plate up and licked the last drop off.

It’s just that the Onion Soup had a lot to live up to. It’s hard to beat a memory.

Le Potager du Marais is super easy to find. It’s just down the street from the Rambuteau metro. It’s a great place to get something to eat after spending a day at the Pompideu. Be forewarned, this restaurant is tiny and packed. It’s a good idea to make a reservation during peak hours. However, they are open for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Surprisingly, they do not accept Cheque Dejeuner (subsidized lunch tickets for those that work in Paris).

Le Potager du Marais: 22, rue Rambuteau (3°); 01 42 74 24 66; Metro: Rambuteau; Organic Restaurant; Cheque Dejeuner are not accepted; Wheelchair Friendly: This restaurant is not wheelchair friendly. It is very tight inside.

Overall: 4/5
Location: 5/5
Taste: 4/5
Service: 4/5
Vegetarian Friendly: 5/5
Vegan Friendly: 5/5
M.E.F. Friendly: 3/5

Au Levain du Marais – 3rd Arr.

Ted — Sun, 09 Dec 2007 13:26:34 +0000

I have not visited this restaurant yet. The information comes from Vivre bio à Paris.

Au Levain du Marais: 32, rue de Turenne (3°); 01 42 78 07 31; Saint-Paul or Chemin-Vert; Boulangerie

Overall: unrrated/5
Location: 4.5/5 stars
Taste: unrated
Service: unrated
Vegetarian Friendly: unrated
Vegan Friendly: unrated
M.E.F. Friendly: unrated

There are also stores at 28, boulevard Beaumarchais (11°) and 142, avenue Parmentier (11°)

Vegetarian Experiences in Paris » 3rd Arrindissement

Le Potager du Marais

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Au Levain du Marais – 3rd Arr.