Sometimes, your favorite things about a city only surface once you’ve left.
(In this case – as in most cases – I’m talking about food.)
I didn’t realize how much I loved bagels til I left New York; I didn’t really understand my love of sushi until I no longer lived in California. As for Paris, I might not know what I miss til I leave, but a very close friend of mine knew the answer, for her:Â aligot.
A stretchy combo of potato purée and tomme fraiche cheese, this sinful cousin of mashed potatoes is more than enough of a meal on its own. At Le Plomb du Cantal, however, the envelope is pushed a bit further.
This no-frills restaurant specializes in foods from the Cantal and boasts two Parisian outposts – one to the north, one to the south. Here, aligot is served with sausage – the most traditional pair –, but also duck, steak, or, as in the picture above, stuffed cabbage.
Aligot is nevertheless the star of the menu, heaped onto plates tableside directly from copper pots. There’s always a bit of a line, as the restaurant doesn’t take reservations, but there’s a friendly bar and quick turnover, and – I promise – it’s worth the wait.
On one recent visit, ever-contrary, I decided to opt for the lesser-known of the two sides that dominate Le Plomb du Cantal’s menu: truffade. Boasting the same basic combo of ingredients – potatoes, garlic, and cheese – truffade has an entirely different texture. In this dish, the potatoes are left in chunks, making the side a bit closer to tartiflette than to mashed potatoes.
Either way, it’s pretty hard to go wrong.
Le Plomb du Cantal - 3 Rue de la Gaité, 75014