When traveling to Paris a few years ago, staying in the Montmartre neighborhood, I was tired of staying close to our hotel for meals. I tasked my wife with finding a restaurant she thought we'd all like and she decided on L'Aller Retour. She found it on TripAdvisor and I am so happy she did.
The restaurant is small and in what looks like a two story town home. We were seated on the upper level, up a steep flight of stairs, and by a semi-open window. It was a brisk March night, but after my second, or third, glass of red wine I didn't mind. The first level was more of a bar area with maybe three tables (two small tables and a larger one), but when we got to the second floor the maybe six tables upstairs were all full, our party of five was at the largest table.
Having gone to some larger restaurants that really disappointed, I was a bit leery in such a small almost empty restaurant, but as I watched the server jump up the steep steps two at a time holding smoking hot steaks to a full second level I knew I was where I needed to be. When I tell you I have been thinking about this restaurant for years it is no lie, and I hope to go back next time I'm in Paris (or I'll just task my wife with selecting all my meals before I leave).
What I loved:
The wine and the steak frites.
Of the five of us two of us ordered the steak frites, one ordered a pork chop, one ordered the duck, and the other ordered a different cut of steak. The server gave us a choice of rare, medium rare, and medium for all the meat except the pork, which was ordered medium well, and we were all not prepared for what we got. The steaks and duck were all medium rare and the pork was medium. Although we were all a bit taken aback we all tasted our meat and all fell in love.
Along with my meal I got a creamed roasted garlic spinach, fries, and the customary mayonnaise dipping sauce. I can honestly say I had too much mayonnaise on that trip, but it was so worth it.
Best part....it's all very affordable for the quality you get.
What I didn't love:
Honestly, not much. My biggest issue is that I wouldn't know how to easily find it next time I go back to Paris. But I guess that's what GPS is for.
Must try dish:
You have to try the Steak Frites (ask them about it, they will give you the cut of steak you prefer)! The creamed spinach that came with it was just as good as the steak and I tried to recreate it when I got home.
Visit or Skip:
You'd be crazy not to visit L'Aller Retour when you're in Paris. Unless you don't eat steak/meat, then just stay home.
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