The Pantruche is an excellent restaurant in a lovely neighborhood of Paris (9th arrondissement). It was put on my radar almost a 12 years ago while visiting relatives in the area and I have since made it a point to visit when in Paris. It's a great go-to address for some interesting twist on familiar ingredients without breaking the bank (relatively speaking). It's small, usually busy, and at the time of this review, closed on weekends, so make sure to reserve before going there, at least for dinner. This is the kind of place you could close your eyes and point at the menu and be happy with what you end up with. It's also an unassuming place. The ambiance is not over the top, it's just a tiny French bistro with food as its main focus. Highly recommended! read more

Got a weekday lunch here with a colleague and absolutely enjoyed it. Try to make a reservation ahead of time or you may not get in.

Yay! Love this place especially the service which was super friendly to English speakers. Not air conditioned if you go on a hot day! The eggplant is a must have I was obsessed! read more

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The best culinary experience in Paris. Presentation of the dishes is artistic. I recommend the "menu complet". The gnocchi, effplant, piglet and soufflé are sublime. Good selection of wines as well. read more

Whilst hunting for a suitable spot to take two discerning friends visiting from Berkeley last spring, I asked the most knowledgeable Parisians I know and they picked Le Pantruche for lunch. Le Pantruche is an excellent option for an elegant midday meal at a moderate price. The formule (think daily special) is €18 and nets you a starter and the special of the day, or the special of the day and dessert. Both of my dining companions opted for the formule, which on the day we visited was duck. Judging from the way the conversation stopped when our plates were delivered, they were pretty pleased! I opted for fish, which was expertly prepared and accompanied by a sumptuous gnocchi. If you're looking for a very French-feeling neighborhood (Pigalle) restaurant with food that's elevated and prices that aren't, eat at Le Pantruche. With fewer than two dozen seats, a menu on a chalkboard and crisp rose by the glass, this is the little piece of Paris you've been looking for. Just be sure to book a table in advance as they fill up fast at this tiny modern bistro in the Ninth Arrondissement! read more

Okay..we had a couple of people recommend this place so we checked it out after snagging a reservation the night before. Wow..what a great local spot! It's a tiny location that filled up fast but the waiters were totally accommodating and didn't rush us at all. And the food..mmmm! They do a 3 course menu so we each did that and it was well worth it. The plates came out looking like art work, I almost felt bad digging in..but am so glad I did..haha! We had: - veggie raviolis (starter) - raw fish terrine (starter) - pork belly and bun (starter) - gazpacho cucumber (starter) - duck breast (for 2) w/ beetroot puree (entree) - fish of the day (cod) (entree) - "slow cooked/braised" beef brisket (entree) - "braised" chicken legs w/ olives (entree)..this dish was so flavorful! - strawberry sorbet (dessert) - chocolate ganache (dessert) - Grand Marnier soufflé w/ salted caramel sauce (dessert)..this was OMG off the charts!! Now that I think about it..we almost had everything on the menu for the day..haha! And everything tasted amazing..literally so good. This place was incredible. I'm not sure how the locals do it because if I lived here..my diet would be shattered since I would be eating here so much..ha! I highly recommend this place for anyone making a trip to Paris..or just for anyone in general.. read more

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Good French-style restaurant, but quite busy and small. The food is very good, Varied and original. The duck for two was excellent, the fish very tasteful, with an interesting sauce. The wine menu is great too. Good choice, but reservation is needed and the tables are small and densely spaced. read more

Had the privilege of eating at this little gem of a restaurant on a recent trip to Paris for the marathon and can I just say..... The food here is Amazing!! Had the veal ravioli to start, which was so yummy! Little pillows of pasta stuffed with wonderfully seasoned veal and topped with a delicious sauce! For the main, we had the 5 hr slow cooked pork with the potato mouse/cream on spinach of some sort.... TO DIE FOR! I can honestly say this was some of the best pork I've had in my life!!! So tender and juicy and melt in your mouth good!! For dessert was the grand marnier soufflé..... OMG!! This little piece of heaven was to die for! It was the perfect soufflé and the sauce was out of this world! I'm so glad we had the opportunity to eat here while in Paris!! read more

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This restaurant is crazy good! We found it on Yelp--highly rated. Martin was our server--he was very kind and attentive. His English was superb! He helped my husband select the wine--white burgundy St. Aubin. Delicious and at a great price. We both enjoyed our appetizers (sword fish for me and rabbit ravioli for him). The main dishes were equally as delicious. My husband had quail and I had skate. We were offered desert, but had to decline as we were satiated after such a great meal. Despite that, chef sent out a rum soufflé with caramel sauce. It was amazing!!!!! We hope to return this trip. Martin told us reservations for dinner are needed 7-10 days in advance. Well worth getting your act together for a world class dining experience! read more

Le Pantruche - Rabbit ravioli - French Near Me - Paris, 75

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Hands down the best restaurant we visited. All three courses were amazing and the waiter's wine recommendations were perfect. read more

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Arrived on a hot summer lunch at Le Pantruche and what a fantastic dining experience. The value for money is stunning. 2 courses for just 19€. The dishes are rotating. You choose between either an entree or a dessert - the main course is fixed. Everything tasted amazing and the attention to detail was kept to a maximum. read more

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I had high expectations for Le Pantruche given the rave reviews, but I was underwhelmed in the end. My priority for going was for the soufflé (with a salted caramel syrup) which was good but not one I'm still craving weeks or months later. (Unlike ones I've had elsewhere!) To me, 5 stars signifies 'cannot wait to go back, I NEED that..' Hence the 4 stars. The meal was very pleasant, classic bistro style, 25€ for entree/plat du jour or plat du jour/dessert. (Lunch offer). We deserved a few days in advance which was no problem. Wine by the glass; there is a small selection and reasonably priced (Chablis 7€) as you don't want a bottle at lunch! I would like to see a few more by the glass options. Overall it was a nice unpretentious lunch, friendly service and not too long of a wait between courses. I think the atmosphere at night might be nicer as they have a bistro 'boudoir' type deco going! read more

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Good food, good wine and good service! We got the last table outside without a reservation, so I recommend booking to anyone else as you might not be as lucky. We had octopus salad with feta cheese and ham, ricotta and spinach raviolis to start which we're both divine. For our main we had a steak with sweet potato mash and magret de canard, both seasoned perfectly. We finished off with their famous soufflé and caramel beurre salé. Overall a great spot and if the prices weren't so high we would go back regularly! read more

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This restaurant has only been open for a little more than a year. A friend suggested we go. It is difficult to get a reservation, but she managed to get a seating for 9:30 p.m. mid-week. As we walked in, the first thing I noticed, it was packed. There were maybe 30 seats, and every nook and cranny of available space was used. In addition, I noticed that they turned tables, probably because of its popularity. We actually had to wait for a couple to vacate their table so the restaurant could accommodate us. We were 5-people. Prior to coming to the restaurant I looked at their menu on their website, it was pretty much what we had available to us that evening. Entrees: Maquereaux en escabèche, raifort parmesan et radis croquant (marinated mackerel, horseradish and parmesan crisp radishes). As we all know, mackerel can be very strong tasting. This particular mackerel was extremely mild. In fact, I would've liked it a little stronger. The dish was served with greens. It was nothing extraordinary or special, but very good none-the-less. The Terrine de foie gras, chutney de coings (foie gras terrine, quince chutney). Our friend who had the dish also said it was good, but nothing out of the ordinary. Risotto truffes noires (risotto with black truffles). I had a taste of this dish, and I have to say this dish was a hit. It was cooked perfect, al dente, and although the parmesan cheese was prominent, it did not overwhelm the dish at all, same with the truffles, it gave the dish an earthy base. Huîtres en tartare, bouillon cresson, wasabi-soja (oyster tartare, watercress soup, wasabi-soy). The dish was very colorful, and beautifully presented in its simplicity. Our friend who had this dish said it was fabulous, a big hit. I gathered that since after he finished the dish, the bowl looked as if it had just come out of the dishwasher. Plats: I had the cochon de lait, poires-céleri-châtaignes (suckling pig, pear-celery chestnuts). I have to say that although the dish tasted good, I had some real issues with its execution. Primarily because the skin and about a quarter of inch of meat from the belly side of the pork was extremely rubbery and inedible. The rib portion of the ribs was tasty though. And, I have to give credit to the Chef for not making it too salty. Typically, most Chefs cook pork with a heavy hand with the salt. Ris de veau braisés, carrottes fondantes à la réglisse (sweetbreads braised carrot fondant with licorice). This is the one dish our waiter recommended. I had a taste of this dish, and I have to honestly say I was wowed with this dish. Texturally, the dish was well executed. Sweetbreads are not often cooked where outside layer is slightly crispy. The crispy bite followed a smooth soft interior coupled with the braised carrots was a hit all-around. Pavé de cabillaud de ligne, duxelle de champignons crème (cod steak with creamed mushrooms). The fish was perfectly cooked, very tender and very moist. Although it was accompanied with mushrooms, they forgot to mention that it also had some chestnuts. The accompaniment to me was actually more tasty than the fish, but together it was a good dish. Volaille pochée sauce suprême, ravioles de légumes à l'estragon (poached chicken with vegetable ravioli and tarragon). Our friend said the dish was cooked perfectly and was delicious. Desserts: Soufflé au grand marnier, caramel au beurre salé (grand Marnier soufflé with salted butter caramel). I had a taste of this dish, yum-yum, it was delicious. Very simple, but very tasty, a hit for us. Pomelos et pavlova, glace à l'estragon (grapefruit pavlova with tarragon ice-cream). Very nicely and lightly done. The grapefruit was quite mild (almost tasting like orange) and the pavlova, placed in between a crust, was just perfect and not cloyingly sweet. A hit and an excellent way to finish the meal. And, as usual I had the cheese plat. A good selection of strong to mild cheeses with a little citrus mâche. Summary: If you live in the 9eme, or are staying nearby, then I highly recommend it. It's a great neighborhood restaurant. However, I would not go out of my way for this restaurant. Keep in mind you're going for the food and not the ambiance. It not only lacks ambiance, but space. You will feel quite packed in, with very little aisle space; hence, unless you're sitting against a wall don't be surprised if you get bumped or banged into a lot. As for the service, it was excellent. There was a bartender and waiter, each helping one another serve. The food was above average, with some just so-so, but a few dishes truly wowed us. For 5-people and a whole bottle of white wine with a half-bottle of red and one digestif, our bill came to 250€ (50€ each). read more

You know you found a great local spot when 1) no one speaks English, 2) the menu is only in French, 3) and the location is super hard to find. But nonetheless, the food was exquisite - as in I wish I can eat here every day for 365 days a year. I mean after eating here, I truly was going to quit my job and just become a French street performer just so I would have just enough money to eat here everyday. Le Pantruche is nestled in a side street. You can not just come here as you will more than likely need a reservation. I was super lucky and was able to get a table outside. The people here do not speak any English (very limited) and the menu is in French - so if you do come here be ready to open your mind and learn something new! The place is a 3 course meal type of place and let me say that the food was incredible. As my last meal in Paris, the food there was a great way to end my trip. I had the veal ravioli, the steak & mash potatoes, and peach and ice cream dessert and each was magnificent. If I had to image what French food was going to be like - this place would fit the bill. I recommend coming here if you are Paris - a great place to get lost, learn something new, and see the world around you differently. Mind blowing. read more

Amazing lunch here - can't recommend this place highly enough. I had the plat de jour (described as "fish with turnips", which didn't do it justice - perfectly seasoned carpaccio with slivers of vegetables) and perhaps the best dessert I have ever had - Grand Marnier souffle with salted butter caramel. It was, quite simply, heaven. Lovely and great value wine list too. A perfect spot for lunch! read more

The best of our meals in Paris across the week we were there. Make a reservation if you can. Starters were very well done, we had carpaccio and gnocchi, mains as salmon and lamb shoulder, and dessert as the cheese platter and the souffle with salted caramel sauce. Good recommendations on the wines from the wait staff, and attention to detail throughout. read more

A nice team of waiters is managing a busy restaurant offering a 36 Euro prix fixe three course dinner. The dishes seem to vary, they are presented on a chalk board presented at your table and translated into English with patience and detail. The execution of the grilled foie gras, the pork breast and the cheese plate were fantastic with much love to the delicious vegetables that were paired. The wine by the glass selection could be a little more surprising. My table neighbors' dishes looked and smelled fantastic as well. A great find! read more

We went here on a suggestion from a Parisian couple I met at dinner who loooved food. They told us we had to try this place that was a hidden gem. We decided to oblige for our last meal in Paris. What a perfect way to end our trip! The added bonus of coming here was seeing my bf's face when he realized we'd have to walk a little bit through the red-light district to get to the restaurant from the metro station. A fun change from the Seine. ;) The service was beyond sweet and incredible as he wanted to practice his English and spoke flawless English to us. He wanted to make sure we knew all of the items on the chalkboard. We started with a soft-boiled egg on top of a mustard cream with a smoked salmon bruschetta. It all tasted great together. The other starter was more unique - oyster tartare on top of a lettuce puree/sauce. Light, refreshing, a little briny and delicious. Perfect start to the meal. Our mains were a mackerel (suggestion from our chef) and the sweetbreads with carrots. The mackerel was served with braised (or maybe sauteed???) cabbage and there was a foam that had an essence of lemon. The mackerel has a stronger taste than most white fishes - but in a really good way. The lightness of the other components did a nice job balancing it out. As for the sweetbreads, they were as melt-in-your-mouth delicious as one would expect. Desserts consisted of a grand marnier souffle that had a perfect consistency and a poached pear with ice cream that we couldn't get enough of. The wines we had by the glass were also great. This was our last meal in Paris after two months and probably the most memorable. We absolutely loved it! read more

Four, maybe five stars given the high value/price ratio. As in many other spots in Paris and elsewhere the smart way to go is to combine formule and a la carte alternatives, sharing a starter and dessert, and separately ordering an added main course. On our second visit we opted for a full 35 euro formule (rabbit ravioli, gigot d'agneau, grand marnier soufflé), and an added main (aile de raie-- the wing of a sting ray). With a bottle of rose at 20 euros the total for two was 80 euros, which seems like a lot for lunch, but we left at 3pm so satisfied that dinner became irrelevant. The ravioli were served with a sorrel sauce (superb), the lamb with an eggplant purée, the ray with a rich broth. Only drawback: one server for a very full house meant long waits between courses. Reservations essential. read more

Had the most extraordinary dinner at Le Pantruche on my last night in Paris. The prixe fixe menu is the way to go. While everyone raves about the oyster tartare, I opted for the foie gras appetizer. It was the size of a Samsung Galaxy and came with the most irresistible, velvety, slightly soy-ish tasting sauce. I was bereft when I finished. The entree were the tenderest, sweetest, perfectly cooked scallops I've had in ages. Again, a light sauce accompanied and some exquisite root vegetables. The piece de resistance was - of course - a grand marnier souffle. The table next to us ordered four - one for each guest. It is so good, even the nicest dinner companion will not want to share. Run to Le Pantruche the minute you make reservations to visit Paris. read more

Le Pantruche - Scallops - French Near Me - Paris, 75

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Oh.my.God this dinner was the best we have had in Paris. Duck, duck and duck...the service was great & food even better. This place is worth going off the beaten path. An amazing night.. Merci! read more

Le Pantruche - Fois gras & poached egg..so amazing! - French Near Me - Paris, 75

Just get the soufflé. You will be doing yourself a favor Rest of the meal was really good (veal ravioli with foam is really a perfect starter) But seriously if you don't get the soufflé you are a fool. It's amazing read more

Went back for lunch and had the most delicious rôti de boeuf. The service was brisk - mainly because they had to turn the table by 1:30 and we squeezed in sans reservation! Got the soufflé again, of course. read more

Pretty good stuff here on the daily menus (formule du jour). For anywhere between 19-30€ you have a complete meal. It's 19€ if u choose to have the plat du jour as your main plate in the daily menu (dish of the day) but should you opt for an alternative dish, it comes to anywhere between 25-36€ for the entire meal. I've always ordered the meats here as seconds and have always been happy. As for dessert, they are known for their Grand Marnier soufflé - not quite my thing, though! Service is efficient, pretty friendly considering how full they always are! Personally, nevertheless, the downside is the exceptionally narrow and tight seating arrangements. It's way tight! :) read more

Le Pantruche - French Near Me - Paris, 75

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Following a visit to the Sacre Coeur, I dropped by Le Pantruche for lunch. Ordering a starter of the rabbit ravioli, it was as good as it gets! Furthermore, the service was friendly. Highly recommended! read more

This was where I ate my first dinner in Paris and it remains my favorite meal of the whole trip. The staff was so friendly and helpful and paired exceptional wine with the food. The food was unreal! I highly recommend the lamb. I was so jet lagged but wanted to keep eating and drinking. The memory of this place makes me smile and I hope to return someday. read more

Le Pantruche - French Near Me - Paris, 75

Oh my. I wish we could've gotten in sooner when we were recently visiting Paris. The menu was tonight's offerings, written on a blackboard and brought to the table. The prix fixe was 32 euros for three courses. My three courses were ravioli filled with asparagus and plated with creamed spinach, main course of veal breast cooked for 5 hours, and dessert of their famous grand mariner soufflé. My son had the duck and loved it, and my husband had the same first two courses but a deconstructed cheesecake for dessert. (His dessert was better than my soufflé.) Seating is very tight so we got to know our fellow diners next to us. They enjoyed their meals as well. I wish I knew our server's name...he was very entertaining, and spoke English. Go give this place a try. read more

The veal ravioli is a good example of what they do at the bistro Le Pantruche in Pigalle. Nicely plated, a beautiful balance of flavours, and a complex forest of ingredients, the greens and mushrooms, some foam, some sauce and I think it was an olive tapenade. The savoury main courses and appetizers were rich and salty and complex. The meats (lamb and duck) were beautifully cooked. Various vegetable garnishes added texture and contrast. What a great discovery. As recommended by Sandra at the men's consignment store Zac & Joe, this is an updated bistro in the super-cool neighbourhood of Pigalle. This was one of our favourite bistro meals in Paris, with very fair prices, and friendly service. High recommendation. And don't miss the soufflé au grand marnier, caramel au beurre salé (grand Marnier soufflé with salted butter caramel)! You won't be sorry for ordering it. read more

Bring it! This place was outstanding, and as our last meal in Paris, a perfect way to say goodbye. We shared everything and found all the dishes to be excellent. We started with the waiter recommended raw oyster tartar with green lettuce purée. (I've never had oysters raw except on the half shell, and I am hoping that other chefs will be inspired by this innovative and tasty dish.) Our other starter was a soft boiled egg covered in salmon eggs, served with a cured salmon tartine all over a light creme sauce. Yum. Let me add in that the bread-- being perfectly toasted on the outside and particularly spongy on the inside-- was ideal for dipping up any remaining sauces on our plates. For our mains we shared a tasty mackerel (again on the waiter's advice) that was lightly cooked so the fish flesh flaked but wasn't dry. The fish had flavor-- unlike so much white fish-- but was not remotely 'fishy' or otherwise overwhelming as we had envisioned. Our other dish, sweetbreads, were our second foray into the world of culinary offal. We both agreed that we'd be fans for life. For desert we had the Grand Marnier souffle (perfect) and poached pear with whiskey ice cream. Woah! It's ashamed not too many places like this exist in Paris and altogether a travesty that we dismissed the hope that we'd ever find a place this good and simultaneously accessible anywhere outside France. But I guess that's the good thing about returning, we'll always have something to look forward to. (Please don't change.) Let me add that the service was friendly and wonderfully supportive. Thanks! read more

One of the best meals I've had in Paris hands down. So the area and location are slightly difficult to find, and they for sure require advanced reservations for even a small group, 2 weeks minimum should be fine. The place was packed and there were maybe only 2 other tourists. The service was perfect as was the food. The menu changes daily and is presented on a chalkboard. They have a great 3 course menu for 34 euros (appetizer, main, dessert). I've had a delicious beef tartare starter with shaved parmesan, sea bass and an incredible chocolate ganache dessert. Also a great wine menu. A must for a foodie in Paris! read more

Fancy presentation for the price; 34 euro prix-fixe dinner (don't plan on getting just a plat without the menu, its more expensive then getting the priz-fixe) Food was very good, although the sardines were too fishy tasting (better when we put them on bread) and I didn't like that part of the gazpacho entree was frozen. My quail entree was great, as was my bf's fish. The cote de boeuf was a little fatty and too raw for my American friend (they just won't do well-done here, sorry) Beware menu supplements though! We ended up paying 10 euro more since we didn't understand that the numbers floating around the board (there's no written menu) were price supplements. I'd go back, but not necessarily rush to do so. read more

We actually stumbled onto this amazing restaurant while staying in the neighborhood. They were completely booked with reservations but gave us a table outside. While we ate, many many people were turned away for lack of room. Make a reservation! At least a day or two in advance. It's worth it! Everything was superb, but leave room for the dessert which is top notch. By the way, the service was excellent and waiters were able to communicate in English much better than I was able to speak in French! I highly recommend this place for quality French cuisine at a very fair price. read more

Amazing!!! Great food! Awesome staff. Friendly and warm in a small, intimate restaurant. Food was amazing and quite the experience. Will definitely return. read more

Le Pantruche - Fresh and delicious! - French Near Me - Paris, 75

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Amazing menu of creative and inspired French food. The Formule (Prix Fixe) menu is grea way to make sure you get to sample the spectrum of delights at Le Pantruche - make sure to save room for desert. read more

This is a great restaurant. Outstanding food good service and good effort made to help non French speakers. Easy to find and walking distance from Gare du Nord ( for those wanting to avoid Eurostar taxi lines). Reservations essential. We arrived early with res when the place was empty. It filled up within minutes of our arrival. We'll go again. John & Francene. New York. October 2014 read more

One of Paris best kept secret in fine brassiere dining. We thoroughly enjoyed the lunch we had at this wonderful restaurant. We had three courses with a 750 of wine and the bill was only €120. Huge QPR here. We will without question or exception return to enjoy lunch again soon. read more

The presentation - Flavor - Pairings are great I wanted to get 2 of everything. The soufflé was probably the best desert I have ever had. Must - Go - Back - NOW! read more

I stayed opposite to this restaurant and noticed that it was always jam packed so I was thinking, it sure is a good bet. I opted for a delicious cochon lait and rumsteak in wine sauce with spinach puree. It was perfect! They also had several good choices on the very reasonably priced wine list. This really was one of the most outstanding meals I've ever had! read more

Wow......what a lunch! After reading the review in Bon Appetit, we decided this was a must on our day to visit Sacre Coeur. We asked the concierge to make a reservation for lunch for us and we went today at 1pm. I would definitely make a reservation as the place was crowded with locals when we arrived. Our server was outstanding! He had lived in Chicago when he was a kid and spoke fluent English and after we muddled through the chalk board menu he came over and made sure we knew what we were ordering. We started off with the sea bass tartare and veal carpaccio. Both were fantastic! For our entrees we had the cod and quail stuffed with Swiss chard and bacon. Amazing! We rounded out lunch with the Grand Marnier souffle and lemon merengue tarte. I would recommend both! The service and food was top notch! We would go back in a minute! read more