Well-executed French classics have become a bit of a rarity in a city more interested in innovative, fusion fare, but American Chef Daniel Rose’s love of traditional French cuisine shines at his La Bourse et La Vie. Make no mistake: Despite claims to the contrary, this is not a bistro, but rather a fine dining restaurant masquerading as one – with the prices to match. But given the way Rose delivers on the flavors, in my book, that’s a perfectly fine compromise.
La Bourse et La Vie is located steps from the stock exchange or bourse that gives the restaurant its name. In the small, airy dining room, the fine dining flair is evident from the moment your server approaches your table to offer wine in thin-stemmed glasses and a menu rife with pricey plays on bistro staples. At dinner, these prices may be a bit more prohibitive, with a 69-euro prix fixe including a selection of appetizers (oysters, beetroot salad, leek-vinaigrette…), a choice of mains including duck magret or roast chicken for two, and a dessert like chocolate mousse or crème brûlée. But at lunch, for the quality on offer, this restaurant really is a steal.
Appetizers are still at the higher end of the spectrum, like a 16-euro beetroot salad with raspberry or 21-euro oysters with curry. We opted to split two: a hazelnut-studded leek-vinaigrette (14) that proved an exemplary example of the standard, with tender, sweet leeks in a well-balanced vinaigrette sprinkled judiciously with flaky salt and chives. As someone who eats a lot of leek-vinaigrette, I can confidently say this is one of Paris’ best.
The egg-mayonnaise topped with crab (23) was perfectly lovely as well, albeit a bit less wow-worthy than its ostensibly humbler cousin. I did love the plentiful touch of dill in the accompanying salad here, but despite the generosity with the crab, it didn’t really merit the exorbitant price tag.
We always knew the main event would be the steak: a rather demure portion of onglet (hanger steak) in a creamy peppercorn sauce (26). Price-wise, it paled in comparison to the 48-euro faux-filet, but that’s not the only reason I opted for this more mineral-forward cut, which tends to be even more flavorful and significantly less fatty.
In Rose’s capable hands, it’s treated with care, charred to perfection before being doused in a rich pepper sauce that gets most of its flavor from a deeply reduced veal jus (though it’s no stranger to cream or butter either).
Cooked rare, it’s absolutely perfect.
The accompanying frites were copious but rather anemic. I much preferred dragging the delicious warm sourdough through the remnants of the peppery sauce and ultimately left most of these on the table.
There are a few desserts on offer at lunch as well: a chocolate mousse, a crème brûlée, a thyme sorbet with olive oil and chocolate (each 10 euros). But the richness of the steak left us more than sated, so we’ll have to sample those on another day!
Ultimately, La Bourse et La Vie is a good choice for a special occasion dinner and a great choice for a cheeky, fancy, midweek lunch with a friend.
La Bourse et La Vie – 12 Rue Vivienne, 75002