5 Traditional French dishes to try in Paris
How to get a real French meal 👌
Bonjour, it’s Théo 👋
French food is considered as one of the most various, precise and delicious cuisines in the world ! (And I can’t deny it…)
If you come to Paris and you want to discover some iconic French dishes, well I’m here to help ! There is plenty of choice, but it can seem a bit difficult to know which dish you need to try first !
Plat du jour
But first, let’s talk about what we call “Plat du jour”.
The “Plat du jour” means “Dish of the day”, it’s a tradition in the French brasseries where they have a specific dish on the menu that changes every single day.
During the 20th century, when the workers used to go to the same brasserie every lunch, it was a way to add some novelty and create customer loyalty.
If you go to a Brasserie and you see the words “Plat du jour” written on the menu or on a blackboard, you can give it a try, you could be surprised !
Now let’s dive into some iconic French dishes you need to know :
Poireaux-Vinaigrette
Poireaux-Vinaigrette literally means “leek & vinegar”, and it basically says everything. It’s a famous French starter (or Entrée) that consists of cooked leeks with vinegar. Some brasseries like Brasserie Martin twists it by adding roasted hazelnuts on top.
Entrecôte-Frites
Steak-Frites or Entrecôte-Frites is a famous combination !
The Entrecôte is a famous beef cut that comes from the rib area. It’s served with French fries, that can also be fried in beef fat.
Add some Sauce au poivre (peppercorn sauce) or Sauce Béarnaise (with tarragon) and you will have a perfect dish ! 👌
Sole Meunière
The Sole Meunière consists of a sole fish, dredged in flour and pan fried with lemon, parsley and brown butter.
This is an iconic dish that is usually pretty expensive in restaurants, as it’s something you share with 2 or 3 of your friends.
It was the favorite dish of French King Louis XIV and it’s an iconic fish dish you should try if you want something lemony and refined.
Croque-Monsieur (or Croque-Madame)
This iconic French snack can be eaten as a main course, or an Entrée. It’s a grilled ham sandwich with Sauce Béchamel and cheese on top.
You can sometimes find the “Croque-Madame” version in restaurants, which is pretty much the same but with a sunny-side-up egg on top of it.
Gratin Dauphinois
This is one of the most emblematic traditional dishes that every French family loves to eat. The Gratin Dauphinois comes from the Dauphiné region, in the South-East of France, and it consists of sliced raw potatoes layered in an oven dish and baked with cream.
It’s so creamy and grilled on top, it’s a perfect side with a roasted chicken !
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That’s it for today !
If you plan to come to Paris this summer, you can check my Guides and Maps of Paris on www.frenchguytheo.com to see which one can fit your trip the most ! 🗺️
See you in Paris,
À bientôt 👋
Théo