La Récamier is a cozy, bistro-style restaurant tucked away on a quiet side street, offering both indoor and covered outdoor seating. It has a charming, non-touristy feel and serves classic French cuisine with a well-rounded menu. Their famous soufflés are a standout and absolutely worth trying. The atmosphere is warm and inviting, and overall it's a great spot for an authentic French dining experience. read more

Cozy bistro style restaurant off a side street with indoor and covered outdoor dining. Classic French, not touristy, with a solid menu of French dishes -- including their famous soufflés! We came for lunch on a holiday weekend. Impression: we greatly enjoyed the food! Cheese soufflé was delicious and fluffy, and a small green salad the perfect accompaniment. Beef filet was perfectly prepared, on a thin bed of delicious green peppercorn sauce and tasty grilled potatoes. Side of green beans was another solid choice. Finally, pistachio soufflé with some bits of dark chocolate in it, and the Grand Marnier soufflé - which they lit on fire - were both terrific and a delicious end to our trip to Paris. Highly recommended. read more

Best meal in paris, I got three souffles here - escargot souffle, cheese souffle, and chocolate souffle. Each was cooked to perfection and I could have this everyday. I don't like souffles usually, but these changed my mind completely. The savory souffle was a perfect dinner option, while the sweet souffles were the perfect dessert. Even after having both, we were not completely stuffed and felt great :) read more

See all

My recent visit to Le Récamier left me utterly disappointed and frustrated with the abysmal level of service I encountered. Despite the restaurant's reputation, I had the worst experience I've ever had in my life, and it is something that I simply cannot overlook or dismiss. Upon arrival, my excitement quickly turned into annoyance as we were left neglected and abandoned at our table. No waiter bothered to come over to attend to us. No menu, no one asking for drinks, no one to take our order. After 15 minutes, we flagged down the maître d' to get a menu. We thought she would also get a waiter to attend to us, but no. Another 20 minutes pass and still no one came to take our order or ask for drinks. The lack of attentiveness and initiative from the waitstaff only compounded our disappointment. To add insult to injury, the level of neglect and indifference continued even after we placed our order. While the food arrived promptly, we never received our drinks. We had to ask the person bringing our food for our drinks. Throughout the entire duration of our meal, not a single waiter bothered to check on us or inquire about our satisfaction with the food or service. We were essentially left to fend for ourselves, resorting to visiting the bar to request a refill on water. After we had been finished with our meal for 20+ minutes, no one was around to bring us our dessert. We had no choice but to flag down the manager to get our check, since we didn't want dessert anymore at this point. He still brought out the dessert and he took the cost of the dessert off the check due to the bad service, but the entire dinner had already been spoiled by the awful experience. Rather than expressing genuine remorse or acknowledging the inconvenience caused, the manager seemed completely apathetic and unaffected by the situation. The lack of empathy displayed by the manager was striking and left us feeling unheard and unvalued as customers. Furthermore, it is worth mentioning that Le Récamier's reservation system is shockingly archaic and outdated. Instead of utilizing a modern reservation service, they rely on an antiquated contact form/email-based system. To exacerbate the problem, the lack of responsiveness from the restaurant when it comes to alternative reservation options is deeply frustrating. In the event that your preferred time slot is unavailable, there is no effort made to suggest or accommodate an alternative time. The absence of proactive communication demonstrates a disregard for customer satisfaction and further highlights the restaurant's disorganized approach to customer service. Overall this is the worst experience I've ever had, and would highly recommend you go elsewhere. read more

Wow! This was probably our most favorite place to eat during our Paris trip. A bit of a walk from our hotel, but we'll worth it! Nice quiet spot down an alley and since we ate early no one was there to slow service. The wait staff was friendly and knowledgeable. We started our night ordering the cheese ravioli and the marbled ham as appetizers. We hoped both were hot, but once again the ham was cold which was fine because you eat cold ham on a sandwich. Both were really good, with the ravioli being one of the best things we ate all weekend. Then came the soufflés! I ordered the Charles the IV and she ordered the goat cheese with black cherry jam. Mine was supposed to have roasted chicken but it was very hard to find if their at all. My wife loved hers and it looked delicious. Then the dessert soufflés came out. I ordered the preserved fruit grand marnier and it was tasty. My wife ordered the pistachio and it was heavenly. Had I known she was aiming for the pistachio I'd of gotten the dark chocolate but too late now. Great experience all around! read more

C'est un endroit unique, où ils préfèrent parler leur langue maternelle. Vous devez être avisé et commander des soufflés dans un cadre plat. Faites de votre mieux pour commander en français (même si vous utilisez un logiciel de traduction). Ces gens sont des locaux qui font une gastronomie incroyable. La nourriture nécessite une approche délicate de la patience, car elle prend beaucoup de temps. Leur cuisine est tout à fait typiquement française. Beaucoup de leurs employés se plaignent du fait que les Américains attendent des anglophones. La croisière est moderne, difficile à réaliser et demande simplement le respect de la culture française. Cet endroit vient de moi. Mes instincts ont été inspirés car ils se spécialisent dans un plat très capricieux et nécessite donc une planification. J'avais presque envie de battre un cuisinier qui avait ouvert mon four à soufflés à un moment critique et l'avait fermé d'un coup, gâchant ainsi 20 soufflés. Ces gens-là sont comme des dominatrices, exigeant une soumission absolue aux blancs d'œufs. read more

If you want to know what a real French soufflé should taste like, then please come here. We prefer smaller portions so we shared our soufflés. "nous aimerions partager ce plat." We had the rice soufflé with artichokes and chorizo sauce. The soufflé was light and airy but creamy and full of flavor. The artichokes are not in full pieces but puréed into the soufflé. We also ordered a side of chicken brochettes (yakitori size - be warned) and a side salad. The brochettes were slightly undercooked. The side salad with pine nuts was over dressed with vinagrette and didn't have much flavor or texture. For our sweet soufflé, we ordered the vanilla soufflé with roasted pineapple (a few small pieces on top) and caramel sauce. So good. That went so quickly. Our local friend got the grilled fish special with roasted vegetables. It was a generous portion and the fish looked very fresh. They no longer take reservations. But if you are one to eat an early dinner before 8:30, then you shouldn't have a problem getting a table. read more

La Cigale Récamier - Delicious Vanilla Soufflé with Roasted Pineapple and Caramel Sauce - French Near Me - Paris, 75

This was my favorite dinner in Paris! The service was friendly and the soufflés delicious. I was thrilled with my escargot soufflé! Everyone loved their choice of soufflé and we finished with sweet soufflés for dessert. Yum. read more

See all

This is my favorite place for soufflé in Paris! We landed in the pm and wanted to grab dessert before they close at 10pm on a Thursday night. We got there at 9:45pm, and were seated right away at the outdoor patio. Service was great. At a little after 10pm, chef came out and hang out with "the regulars", we made eye contact and he came to our table, kissed our hands and gave a a very warm welcome. Beautiful local gem. read more

See all

Not sure why there are negative reviews. This place is a gem! Also, the service was above and beyond outstanding. Literally everyone working there was polite and attentive. My friend and I kept ordering more dishes and each was better than the next. I truly loved the snail soufflé. I also had the cheese soufflé, Grand mariner soufflé and chocolate soufflé. All were epically delicious. I liked this place so much I came back the next night. It was a very chill atmosphere and if you aren't uptight or needy you'll very much so enjoy it here. And this is coming from a New Yorker. It was raining, cold and February but i wanted to sit outside, as did others who were there. The heaters gave ample warmth and the tent kept the rain out. It was actually pretty poetic. I will most certainly be returning when I'm back in Paris in a few months. read more

On our first night in Paris, we went for a stroll around the neighborhood looking for a place to eat. We found La Cigale Recamier a few blocks away. It was actually a bit comical because the restaurant was pretty empty when we arrived around 6:30. We asked if we could be seated, and the woman told us, "I can give you a table, but you have to leave by 8:30." Staring at the totally empty restaurant, I kind of went, "OK...." We were in and out well before the deadline. That weirdness aside, we did have a nice little dinner here and committed death by souffle. We ordered a bottle of pinot noir and the foie gras for an appetizer. The plate came to the table with two thick slices of foie gras and some sliced bread (note we later learned that it is NOT OK to smear your foie gras on the bread... you are supposed to cut a piece and place it on top of your bread). Then my husband ordered the mushroom souffle and I got the classic cheese. Both were excellent accompanied by awesome sauces. They were poofy and high when they hit the table and warm and moist in the middle. For dessert, our waiter basically told us we were getting the Grand Marnier dessert souffle, which came to the table perfectly caramelized and served with the entire bottle of Grand Marnier and a "serve yourself" type of attitude. It was all delicious - though in retrospect, it was a pretty rich dinner. We would go back again! read more

See all

I went here a few years ago for soufflé and only soufflé because it servers the most variety. I couldn't remember the name until now when I went back to Paris. Although these soufflés don't come in a frying pan they are very well done. It's a lovely treat for those that are soufflé lovers! My friend and I were surprised that it was so busy on a Monday evening when typically Paris is dead. We made a reservation so we could experience it. Atmosphere: classic white tables and traditional Parisian service read more

So glad I found this little gem as it is perfect to pop into after hitting Hermès! Just thinking about the pastry encrusted chicken in a mustard sauce makes my mouth water and the little dessert soufflé was perfect! And where else can you find a place with good food and a display of good books to read! Nice tucked away location, too! read more

La Cigale Récamier - French Near Me - Paris, 75

See all

3 years ago during my first visit to Paris, my mom read about Le Cigale Récamier in a travel book. And thank the heavens for this book because this was one of the restaurants that made our trip so memorable. This past summer our whole family made sure that we would have time to come back to this restaurant during our trip. I believe that sometime after my first visit in '10, Le Cigale Récamier became Michelin-rated, because now it is! Their foie gras is really good and heavenly. Their eggplant puree appetizer was amazing as well. We ordered a duck entree, a beef entree, and if I remember correctly, another beef entree (prepared differently) as well. Then, we ordered a caramel soufflé and 2 chocolate soufflés. Everything was cooked to perfection. I honestly love this restaurant so much, it is beyond my capability to describe my feelings for this place with words. I feel so nostalgic whenever I think about this restaurant, everything was so lovely and pleasant. :) The staff was quick and understanding. I spoke my "broken French" (my professor said that at the second year university level, our class's proficiency in French was equivalent to that of 6-7 year olds for native speakers). Anyway, I made a reservation in person and when we arrived, I also spoke to them in French. It's pretty apparent that I'm not a native speaker, however, I did not feel put down or anything like that. And throughout dinner, I spoke in English and my whole family sincerely did not feel like preferential treatment was given to French speakers or anything like that. The bottom line is that I return for the excellent food, and unless the staff is offensive, I don't really see a problem in their service. I highly recommend making a reservation beforehand though. read more

See all

I pulled my friend to join me for an authentic French souffle experience while in Paris for 4 days in May. We made reservations through our hotel concierge for a late lunch (2pm) on the terrace and thankfully so because Le Cigale Recamier was packed and people were not in a rush to leave after their meals. As one reviewer mentioned, reservations are listed on paper on the wall, not in a computer. Terrace seating is cozy with only about 12 inches or less in between tables. But if you like alfresco dining with a glimpse of the luxury-type locals, this is the place. Yes, there is an advantage to speaking French here. We ordered in French (kept it short and simple) and I was just happy that the waiter understood and brought what we ordered. We each had a savory and dessert souffle. Light and fluffy, definitely packed with rich flavor. However, I wish I had ordered an appetizer or side salad because I was still craving dense food to chew on. The grand marnier dessert souffle was delicious, not too sweet, but mine was slightly undercooked in the middle. They give you a bottle of grand marnier with small holes poked through the cork so you don't pour too much by accident. My friend's chocolate souffle was also delicious but a bit too rich to finish. We both agreed a scoop of French vanilla ice cream with our dessert would have been divine. As for the service, I give lots of credit to the guys who worked the busy tables on the terrace. No fuss, not a lot of chit-chat, they take and serve your order, but I'm mostly impressed that they serve the delicate souffles warm from the oven and NOT deflated! If they seem curt or abrupt, they are probably thinking of the souffles that just came out of the oven and need to be served immediately. So be patient and please thank your server. read more

See all

We went specifically for the souffles. It turned cold tonight and while we didn't have reservations, we were seated immediately in the outdoor patio area. No problem - except the outdoor heaters were not working. There was a 4 piece band playing about 10 feet away, which made it almost impossible to hear anything else. We asked a few questions of a food runner, who spoke english and answered our questions, up until our server arrived and immediately shooed him off dismissively. At this point, I'd like to specifically call out our actual server, for her exceptionally abysmal service, attitude and attention to detail. After she told the runner to leave, she took our orders, including the 4 dessert souffles that she insisted we order at that time. Three of our dinner orders were correct, but the 4th was completely wrong. This shouldn't have been a problem at all, had she cared enough to actually check in with us at any time during our meal, but she never did. The best view that I had of her, was of her picking her teeth while grabbing silverware. Sadly, I don't know the name of this particular blot on service workers, but I can tell you that her ponytail swished back and forth with urgency, entirely unlike her service. She would be better as a dominatrix. On the flip side, credit is due to Tanya, who reseated us from the cold, loud outdoor area to the inside. Credit also goes to Tanya, for expediting our dessert souffle orders, after we asked about them following a long delay and she said they were never entered into the system by Madame Ponytail. As far as entertainment goes, Ponytail spent most of her energy, sneering at the other restaurant workers, rather than attending to what she should have been doing. My only wish, is that she worked for me, so I could kick her to the curb, where she belongs. Food good. On a scale of 1-10, 10 being best, our server rated a negative 37. Utter crap. read more

I very mush dislike giving bad reviews. Unfortunately, I feel we were treated poorly because we were American. This restaurant came highly recommended by our hotel the Shangri-la because we wanted real French chocolate souffle. From the time we arrived, to the dessert, our experience was not good. We had a reservation, took a while to get seated- fine, they were busy. After seated, no one came to our table, no one brought menus. THe tables around us were getting service, not us. Meal- that pate was not caviar. The chocolate souffle was not sweet or good at all. (I know less sugar is used in Europe, but this had none.) Sad that the chocolate souffle in the Bahamas far outranked the one in France. The chef came out and sat at the table next to us and seemed to think we were pretty funny. Worst experience on our entire French trip - which was over-all amazing. It was unfortunate. read more

Steer clear! They have the worst service on the planet! Asked for water three times and never got it, although all around us they were getting water. I've never encountered such rudeness and nastiness. The waiter actually cursed at one point right in front of us! I know what merde means you rude twerp! The wines were great but no way in hell was I going to stick around to get abused by these miserable people. Says something about the management if the staff is so terrible. read more

Every time I'm in Paris, I have dinner here and every time, we get the worst customer service. It's almost a joke to come here and see how bad the staff is. This time, we came in to an empty restaurant for an 8pm reservation, and the clueless hostess tried to seat us in a makeshift space with outdoor furniture (literally, the worst table in the restaurant) - rather than any other table with normal furniture. When I objected, the hostess said that she "has other guests coming" (like, are we not guests?). As we were making our way to leave (too many good restaurants in Paris), the manager offered to seat us in the enclosed patio by the front door (the second worst table). Fine, we stayed. The souffles are good though and they have a decent wine selection. So if you can tolerate the bad service, you should give it a try. Most customers are not locals, don't think many Parisians eat souffles, so I don't think their rudeness is necessarily aimed at Americans. My partner speaks perfect French, so it wasn't that either. Not sure whey they treat their customers like crap. At this point, I'm a glutton for punishment. read more

Rude, bad food, and rude. Typical French restaurant providing excellently poor service and less than mediocre product. Avoid. read more

This place is a joke. Felt like I was burdening the staff by eating there. It was super apparent that they didn't want to serve us. Food was mediocre at best. To top it all off, ordered the vanilla soufflé with pineapple for dessert and they brought us peach. Asked the waiter about this and he literally told us that pineapple means peach in French.... Wouldn't recommend to my worst enemy read more

Stay away, Americans (or other non-French speakers). They don't serve your kind here. I walk in around 8:45pm. Pleeeenty of open tables. I go up to them, said "Hello. Do you have a table for one?" (in English), while holding up my finger to indicate that I want a table for one. The host (or waiter? or owner? or whoever) just looks at me, and says, "Bonsoir". I repeat myself. Host: "Bonsoir" Ah, he wants me to say "Bonsoir". Got it. So I say it. Then, I repeat my question. "Nope. Full." WHAT? Bullshit. I see some French couple walk in as I leave.. they got seated right away. What a f---ing racist a$$hole. read more

So far my favorite restaurant in Paris! I had a salad as well as a coffee soufflé. The service was just as great as the food. We dined around 3pm and it was perfect, would highly recommend!! read more

Typical American-Hating Parisians They refused to seat us after they found we were Americans. They said it was full with like 7 vacant tables. A French woman behind (without a reservation) was seated immediately. I literally almost lost it on these pompous a-holes. If you go, have a native do all the talking. read more

So-so service, best savory and sweet souffles (yes, I had 2) I've had. There is inside seating for lunch but after a certain time there is only outdoor seating under cover. We did not need reservations for lunch but was told that dinner reservations are a good idea (though I've seen several reviews on other sites where the restaurant has not honored reservation made (even those by Parisians)). So, good luck. I started with the petit souffle of the day -- it was quite small compared with the dessert souffle we ordered, thankfully. The souffle was so light, fluffy and flavorful -- I just couldn't believe it. It was made with Epoisses de Bourgogne cheese (a pungent, unpasteurized cow's milk cheese with a creamy texture, which is made in an area of France between Auxerre and Dijon (SE of Paris)) - there was no creaminess to the souffle just light, delicious airiness, so I don't know how they incorporate the cheese). The souffle itself also had a hint (just enough) chorizo flavor (guessing rendered chorizo fat) and the is topped with a sauteed slice of chorizo. I also had a side salad of chopped romaine, Reggiano and cold cooked haricot verts (thin green beans) with a very good Caesar-like (perhaps with a touch of Dijon mustard) dressing. My husband had the best Steak au Poivre he's eaten. The sauce is what made this dish -- it has to have had white pepper in the "gravy" along with the cracked black peppercorns. The steak was cooked to his liking; although, the quality of the meat was not as good as he has had at several restaurants in the US. I was actually sopping up his sauce with bread, the sauce was sooo good. I will definitely have to try to replicate this sauce. Last time I tried to make Steak Au Poivre, however, I was doing so in an ill-equipped kitchen and I nearly gave myself carpal tunnel trying the bash all of the whole peppercorns! I am so glad we ordered the caramel souffle -- it came with a fleur de sel caramel sauce. The souffle itself, was just slightly undercooked in the middle, but I didn't care. I ate around the edges. Again, it was the sauce that made this dish -- I wanted to put the little ramekin with the leftover sauce in the my purse (and I might have had a plastic bag to put it in!). Deep (but not burnt) caramel flavor with a hint of the fleur de sel -- it didn't hit you over the head ... but definite dairy (butter and/or cream). YUM. The service was indifferent (not rude and it was readily apparent we were Americans -- I do speak French however, so that may have helped a bit) and at the end I asked for our check 3 times -- the first 2 times, the person said "yes, yes" and then we saw the same person walking out the restaurant in non-work clothes as their shift had ended and still no check. Third time was a charm and they allowed me to order and speak with them in French. Another one we'd go back to the next time we're in Paris. read more

Still excellent soufflés. My wife took french lessons from a lady whose son worked here about ten years ago. Remembering our experience last visit my wife insisted that we return. Apparently under new ownership, per internet info, not sure if it would be the same. No worries, great place to drop off after a night and have a desert soufflé. Great service, had the chocolate and vanilla soufflés. We much preferred the vanilla, a bit lighter, but chocolate still excellent. read more

What a disappointment. If you want a feat looking, but boring, tasteless soufflé, this is your place. The soufflés are beautiful. The come out light, fluffy and don't collapse when you start to eat. But the cheese soufflé is boring to bad. A relatively mild cheese is used, then the soufflé is over salted and over peppered. Boring at best, but in a town with so many good food options, skip this place. The dessert is as lightly better -- sweet instead of over salted and over peppered, but still bland and disappointing. Head elsewhere, avoid the disappointment. read more

This was our last dinner in Paris this trip and didn't disappoint. Contrary to previous reviews, if you simply try your best at speaking French you will receive friendly, impeccable service. The servers didn't mind switching to English when needed, but were patient with my slow French as well. I can't even describe the soufflés. Just go try them! Wonderful! We didn't try any dessert soufflés this time but the savory soufflés were superb. We didn't make a reservation but had no trouble being seated close to 7:30. The soufflés were light, but flavorful and satisfying enough for a person of normal hunger. read more

Best place in paris for me so far. It's got me dreaming of souffle and wishing i was back there. read more

We had the mushroom soufflé which was 24 euros! Quite pricey for a normal sized ramekin soufflé. The flavour was good once you get over the texture and flavour being one. I like to try new things but I think a soufflé should always be a dessert. It was like having cream of mushroom soup but in soufflé form. We also had their beef stew and it was ok. This place is overpriced! read more

La Cigale Récamier - French Near Me - Paris, 75

This place is a nice little restaurant outside of the touristy areas of Paris - and they do only speak French and do not have English menus. My local friend really likes this place so she wanted to show us a taste of the local cuisine. It was definitely one of the nicer places we went to while in Paris. But a meal of just soufflés?! Why not?! The place is really really hot by the way - I wish they had air conditioning once again. To start the night off we had the savory soufflés. Mushroom, cheese, etc. Tasting all 3, I have to say my favorite savory one was the Henry IV with cheese and mustard sauce. Surprising cause I don't even like mustard! But it had a good flavor to it and little pieces of chicken inside! The soufflés were definitely fluffy as you can see from all the photos! But as anticipated, I was looking forward to the sweet soufflés! I got the pistachio with strawberries and a dark chocolate sauce. It definitely didn't disappoint. It came large and fluffy and good flavors to it - but light and not too sweet! I don't think I like the dark chocolate sauce with this one cause it over powered the pistachio. A good experience but very light and fluffy meal - I guess I'm use to something with a little more substance. Cool place and concept though! They serve things other than soufflés as well - the steak looked pretty amazing! I'm sure the other dishes were good and the place was sophisticated and trendy! read more

See all

I would defiantly recommend this place for an authentic soufflé. Tried a chicken soufflé for the main entree and was pretty disappointed. However in my mind a soufflé is suppose to be a desert and the chocolate soufflé was amazing. Well worth the trip. read more

La Cigale Récamier - French Near Me - Paris, 75

The Recamier (Les Souffles) is not just a restaurant. It is a meeting place for a sophisticated community - senators, corporate chiefs, society ladies who lunch, senior executives who are well groomed in French style. The foreigners who arrive in tourist clothes - short trousers, thongs, etc. are not welcomed by other restaurant clients. So, if you enjoy a splendid terrace on a walking street with an excellent menu plus souffles as main course or desert, definitely dine or lunch at Le Recamier. Simply present yourself at your well-groomed best. France is presentation, no? A fashion leader over the centuries and remains so in 21C, too. I repeat: this is not a restaurant for slouching around in thongs, Havaianas or Birkenstock sandals and cut offs. Present yourselves as a French client would and you'll be well regarded by staff. Bon appetit! read more

Sad (silly) to see most of the reviews focused on language(!) The soufflé, both savoury- (the "Paris/morelles" and the poulet/citron) AND the sucre (Valrhona chocolate, and caramel/sel) were nothing short of perfect and decidedly inspired. But what was truly inspiring was the very charming Chef Idoux introducing himself to my wife and I (Japanese and Canadian- speak no French!) and inviting my wife into his kitchen for a soufflé master class. So memorable, so gracious...anyone who has a problem with this place should cook at home! The food, the Chef, and his staff combine to make this restaurant a class act- don't miss out. read more

Amazing savory and dessert souffles!!!! We had the Henry IV and spinach shoots for the savory and caramel for the dessert. The height of the souffles was astounding, and we can see why many rave about this place. Service younger waiters was superb (can't speak for the others). They are very busy but this was well worth it! The caramel souffle was so good my wife wanted to order another. read more

Had a lovely rocket salad with romaine and Parmesan, with added tomatoes at my request. The dressing was citrusy and amazing, very light, but large enough to be a meal when eaten with the pot of gazpacho. My friends got the chicken and veggie soufflé (tasted like chicken but didn't see any...blended chicken in the soufflé perhaps? It was good), and tiny little ravioli in cream sauce (disappointing). I'm new to the soufflé scene, but these were cool. They were wobbly on the plates as they walked over to their recipients (is that how they should be, ideally?) and extremely fluffy. Unlike others, we were Impressed with the servers and pleasant service. But, then, we speak French (with accent) so perhaps that is a major help at this very traditional French restaurant where they don't have menus in English. The food came around quickly. Only criticism is that it was a bit pricey. Maybe it balances with the skill required to make a good soufflé, or to present an impressive salad, though. read more

See all

The savoury soufflés are absolutely terrible - they have no taste at all. It's like eating a bowl of hot foam. Mush. They are accompanied by a tablespoon of bland, watery sauce, which changes depending on which version of the soufflé you order. To be fair, the dessert soufflés were excellent. But with everyone at the table having detested their savoury soufflés, and still hungry from having eaten what was essentially expensive, watery foam, we all left feeling frustrated. Will not return. read more

I was told by a friend who I work with who is from France that I must eat at La Cigale Recamier (LCR) when I visit. I was told that their specialty is souffles from main course to dessert. How could you say no? Souffles are rare enough as a dessert anywhere else you go but a place where this is prominently featured as part of every course of your meal, well, that's something truly special. I didn't make any reservations and was easily able to get a table when the restaurant opened (this has been a good idea throughout because French people eat really late). We started with the house foie gras which was the first time that the BF had this amazing dish. Ok, animal ethics and abuse blah blah. It's good, ok? It was divine, beautifully served with fresh bread. A great first introduction to this authentic French dish. Between the two of us, we shared a crab bisque which was also very light and nice. For the main course we had the roast duck (canard roti) souffle and the mushroom (champignons). Both of them came out puffed up like little hot air balloons ready to take off. Full of flavor but light as a feather, the dish was surprisingly dense. After the main course, I wasn't sure whether I could handle dessert. Luckily we talked ourselves into it because this is where I had the most amazing dessert I have had in a while. The souffle au pistache was simply the best souffle I have EVER had. I have had my fair number but this really takes it. Infused with pistachio flavor throughout along with a pistachio ice cream on the side, this really highlights everything the pistachio nut has to offer. On top of the souffle was a cold chocolate piece that melted as you ate the souffle adding yet another dimension to this dish. If you're planning on dessert you MUST get this one (I would say even if you have an allergy.... just bring your epi pen. No biggie). This is a MUST TRY in Paris! Missing LCR because you didn't have enough time is no excuse. This is truly wonderful. read more

The two stars is mainly for the food. The soufflés were delicious but the service was not the best. We were a big party of 8 and had no reservations and we were placed outside. At first, I did not mind this until we noticed everyone else was seated inside, reservation or not. As the dinner wore on, the service got more terrible over time. No one stopped to ask how we were doing but we felt like they were watching us as if we were going to get up and run after eating. The last straw was when they simply ignored us and served other people when we tried to flag them down multiple times for the check. Overall, we will definitely not be coming back here. There's bound to be better soufflés in France. read more

Definitely an interesting experience, but extremely rich even by my French food standards. You have to love eating a stick of butter with whipped eggs to enjoy a giant soufflé. My wife loved it though. Also a bit pricey for what you get. read more