Coretta
Love is in the air everywhere in Paris, and at Coretta, love is in your mouth and your belly. Located off the beaten path in the 17th arrondissement is my favorite restaurant in the city, Coretta. It’s a Michelin-rated restaurant that serves unbelievable food, and while nice, I find it lacks the pretentiousness of many Michelin-rated restaurants.
Welcome to the neighborhood
Coretta feels more like a neighborhood restaurant that you’d find in NYC. I dig the modern, Scandinavian design. Pro tip: they do not offer menus in English. So, either brush up on your French or break out the Google translate. I brought my parents to Coretta on their first visit to Paris, and while they went to all of my favorite stops, they agreed that this was also their favorite (and it boasts a great value, to boot!).
To every season
The menu changes seasonally (I love when restaurants embrace this freshness-promise), so I can’t guarantee that they’ll have the exact dishes we ordered when you visit. With that said, you really can’t go wrong with anything on the menu.
Three courses and of course, wine
When in Paris…order all of the courses and don’t skimp on the wine! You’ll be happy to find that your bill at Coretta won’t break the bank, even after you enjoy an appetizer, entrée, and dessert. When I went with my parents, we all enjoyed the full-blown experience for about $100 USD per person. With copious vino.
Appetizers to die for
My dad and I both ordered the charred lobster (chilled) with a goat cheese cream (basically ice cream), charred tomatoes (chilled), and green gazpacho. The flavor was excellent. However, I would have preferred if the lobster was warm; it would have provided a nice contrast to all the cold in the dish. My mother ordered the soft egg, which was basically a sous-vide cooked egg, with parmesan crème, and vegetables. It didn’t look like anything special, but OMG it was amazing. It was one of those dishes that speaks to your soul. You want to lick the plate clean - but then you remember you’re in a Michelin rated restaurant and refrain.
The main event
My mom ordered the pork belly with a balsamic glaze. Let me say: EXCELLENT execution. The skin was crispy, and the meat succulent. Potatoes and assorted veggies served on the side. Mmm. My dad and I split the special (meant for two people): steak frites. We ordered the beef cooked medium-rare. It was topped with bearnaise sauce and paired with fried potatoes. Again, there was nothing revolutionary about this dish, but the quality of ingredients used and the execution was sheer perfection.
Sweets, oh my!
When it came time for dessert, we ordered the house specialty: cinnamon and caramel brioche served with caramel sauce and vanilla ice cream. It takes an hour to make, so you have to order it when you are ordering your appetizers. DO NOT MISS THIS. It’s divine. The crisp exterior gives way to a soft, hot, fluffy interior, which is complemented by the house-made caramel sauce and ice cream — a perfect combination. We also ordered the fig pavlova. It was excellent, but it’s impossible to beat the brioche.
The entire experience at Coretta is intoxicating and will leave you wondering when you’ll be back.
